Get your Einstein on at Brisbane’s World Science Festival

Where is the festival? | Kids and family events | Adults events | Art events | Science professionals | Where to stay | Things to do nearby

When: 21 – 30 March 2025

Tickets: On sale now

The highly anticipated World Science Festival returns to Brisbane in March – celebrating its tenth birthday with a huge program that will spark your curiosity and love of science.

What is World Science Festival?

World Science Festival was founded by renowned physicist Professor Brian Greene and Emmy award-winning journalist Tracy Day in New York in 2008. It’s mission? Make science exciting, accessible and fun – and bring together the world’s leading scientific minds to explore the brave new ideas helping to shape the world of tomorrow.

World Science Festival Brisbane is the only one of its kind outside of New York, and the 2025 program includes over 90 events and more than 200 sessions.

This year’s theme, Infinite Awe, will take your sense of wonder to the next level – blending fascinating fun and education around topics like space exploration, First Nations knowledges and the future of quantum. Only appropriate given 2025 marks the 100^th anniversary of quantum theory.

World Science Festival Brisbane is for everyone: young and old, students, families, the naturally curious and STEM industry professionals. Read on to discover some of the many mind-bending free and ticketed events in store this year, and get ready to book your calendar solid.

Where is World Science Festival Brisbane?

World Science Festival Brisbane takes science beyond the laboratory, transforming the city into a vibrant hub of exploration and discovery. Spread across iconic Brisbane venues like Queensland Museum, South Bank’s Cultural Precinct, South Bank Piazza, and Fish Lane, the festival offers a mix of live performances, thought-provoking discussions, and interactive workshops.

This year, WSFB also extends its reach to regional Queensland, with special opening weekend events in Ipswich, along with stops in Toowoomba, Gladstone, Chinchilla, and Townsville, bringing scientific wonder to communities far and wide. Head to the website to discover what’s on in your region.

For families & kids

With STEM-inspired activities for kids of all ages to explore, World Science Festival offers opportunities to come face-to-face with world-renowned scientists, learn what it takes to venture into one of the coolest jobs on earth, or get hands-on discovering the wonders of science and tech. 

Patch Theatre’s Superluminal is one of the coolest installations at this year’s festival (21-30 March, ticketed). Designed for kids 4-8 years, it blends collaborative storytelling and interactive play, encouraging families to find hidden animal tracks and discover animals from the past, present and possible future, then create your own mythical creatures through light and sound play.

X-sports fans in the family? Head to South Bank Piazza for the action-packed Arena Atomica: Skate-ology (29-30 March, ticketed), where world-class skaters unveil the physics behind their gravity-defying skateboarding tricks. Nearby, explore sports science and athletics with fun tests and challenges in The Zone (29-30 March, free).

Love all things robots and rocketry? Make your way to Ipswich’s Queensland Museum Rail Workshops for the festival’s opening weekend to get hands-on with the world of robotics, aerospace, and engineering – then watch Australia’s top fighting robot builders battle for supremacy at the hugely popular Robowars (22-23 March).

Older kids aged 8+ years can discover world-class STEM innovations at World Science Festival Brisbane’s Labs Unlocked series, where research scientists open their lab doors and open young minds with behind-the-scenes access. Experiences are open to different age groups and range from robotics to urban greening, biomedical research, and spending ‘a day in the life of a scientist’ in a genetics lab.

Animal lovers can enjoy a range of hands-on activities at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, from learning about the importance of bees and butterflies to creating frog-friendly habitats and painting nest boxes for native wildlife.

The ever-popular schools program also returns for 2025 – head to the website for more information.

For adults

Did curiosity really kill Schrodinger’s cat?

Conversations with top scientists are among the highlights at each World Science Festival, and 2025’s ticketed program does not skip a beat. Renowned physicist Brian Greene will take his audience on a vivid journey into the quantum and ponder the mysteries that remain (27 March). First Nation’s astronomer, Karlie Noon, offers an exclusive tour of the night sky at Sir Thomas Planetarium, sharing First Nations Peoples connection to sky and country (22 March).

Leading genetics researcher from Harvard Medical School, Professor David Sinclair, delves into the groundbreaking research around aging – and how it may be slowed or reversed (29 March); Dr Julia Baird explores into the science of awe (30 March); and back by hugely popular demand, leading ladies Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb will host An Afternoon of Science alongside a panel guest scientists (29 March).

There’s plenty more fun to be had. You’re in for a wild evening of side-stitch laughs and scientific debate at the Science Smackdown (20 March), there’s movie screenings at GOMA throughout the festival, and a science themed poetry slam at Lefty’s Music Hall (26 March).

Grab a drink and pick the brains of top scientists at Fish Lane’s Researchers on Tap (29 March), or join chemists, sensory scientists, chefs and mixologists for Alchemy Afternoons to unpack what is happening inside your mouth, brain and gut as you eat and drink (28 March). 

For art-lovers

World Science Festival Brisbane is where big ideas – and big artworks – collide.

The Awe Experiment is a free, immersive art experience at Queensland Museum, where visitors explore the sensation of awe through a fusion of neuroscience, custom software, and captivating visuals. Created by Brisbane-based Counterpilot, this interactive experience lets you shape the art by wearing sensors that alter soundscapes, lights, and live video based on your biometric data. (21-30 March).

While you’re here, wander through Queensland Museum’s Whale Mall to discover Unseen Worlds, a visual journey through Queensland’s scientific wonders – projecting photography from molecular bioscience research.

For science professionals 

Those who live and breathe all things science and technology – including their 9 to 5 – should grab tickets to The Quantum Australia Conference 2025 (25-26 March).

The event will bring together world-leading quantum researchers, businesses, government decision-makers, startups, and big tech to share the latest developments and ideas in the rapidly evolving field of quantum science.

Start planning your Brisbane getaway

Where to stay during World Science Festival Brisbane

Planning a trip to Brisbane for World Science Festival? It’s easy to stay close to the action in South Bank: choose from the luxurious 5-star Emporium Hotel, to well-known hotels that call the riverfront home, including Rydges, Mantra, and Novotel.

For other options, check out our Brisbane accommodation guide.

Things to do while you’re in town 

Discover cool things to see and do in Brisbane here or check out this list of the best day trips from Brisbane. Be sure to add these to your itinerary:

• Wander through Queensland Museum and Sciencentre where fun and education come with plenty of hands-on activities
• Explore everything there is to see, do and eat in South Bank
• Take your own journey of scientific discovery to the Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha to dabble in an afternoon of recreational forest bathing or explore the 52-hectare gardens including the Physic Garden to learn about medicinal plants
• Head to Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium after dark for a night of stargazing
• Combine science with a cocktail hour at Viscosity in Fortitude Valley, where curious drinks are served in test tubes, beakers and bubbling cauldrons of dry ice.

Find more ideas, here are the best things to do in Brisbane with kids.