Hi Leanne here.

16 or so years ago I worked in the environment department in State Government, and at one point was lucky enough to be in a team with a person who was on secondment from Museums Victoria.

And one day he took us on a tour behind the scenes of the newish (then) museum. It was eye opening. What I learnt was that for every single thing on display, out the back there are storage rooms full of multiples (it was amazing) … my overriding memory is of steel high-school-type science cupboards full of thylacine skeletons and metal-plan-drawers full of butterflies and insect specimens. It gave me a very different perspective on the role of the museum - as an archive of natural history.

Anyway … this week (15-23 August) is National Science Week, that aims to celebrate STEM and encourage children to engage with science both at home/in everyday settings and through school experiences.

This year the theme is Deep Blue: Innovations for the future of our oceans.

And so I thought I could direct you to some Museums Victoria resources. Here is a link to their main page for the week - a good starting point to find all the things.

On this year’s theme, you might like to watch the IMAX movie Wild Ocean. Click here to get the password and link etc.

Or if you have very young children you might like to check out the Virtual Play Box and join Justin and Simone as they explore the ocean exhibit in the museum in Episode 4, Treasures of the Sea (or off theme you could walk with dinosaurs in Episode 1, A Long, Long Time Ago).

There are lots of other interesting things on the website for young and old. Check them out! And happy National Science Week.