The Beaker Street Debate

Join Dark Sky Tasmania members for a guided walking tour of Hobart after dark. Learn how the lighting we add to our city impacts the way we use our public spaces and affects the environment at large. This one-hour walk will offer a unique insight into urban lighting and the problem of light pollution. As you wind your way through the Hobart streets, you will experience various examples, both good and bad, of how artificial light at night influences the way people interact with their city after dark, and the impact this is having on our planet.

The cult live onstage dating show, straight outta Melbourne (and the '70s), makes its Hobart debut! Three hopeful nerds will vie for the attention of one solo contestant, aiming to capture their heart with personality, wit, and scientific wisdom. Get off the apps and find love — or at least a great night out — in real life. This session is part of the Beaker Street Main Stage at Hobart City Hall. Your House Band for the evening will be the dangerously well-rehearsed Stevie and the Bunsen Burners. Enter through Market Place, where you'll find drinks, food, fires, and friendly strangers. Come early, stay late to enjoy all the action.

You know the feeling: You fall in love with a wine at a vineyard, or over a magical night out with friends, and when you open the same bottle at home… something's missing. The wine hasn't changed but it's not quite the same. Wine is never just about taste. It's about the music, the lighting, the company, the moment. In this immersive workshop, Curly Haslam-Coates, a synaesthetic wine educator who experiences flavours as a multi-sensory journey, will guide you through a different kind of wine tasting. One that explores how memory, environment, and emotion shape what's in your glass. Learn how to create experiences that elevate the everyday, and turn a simple glass of wine into something unforgettable.

Pink-glowing possums and bandicoots, green-glowing snails and wallabies, blue-glowing spiders and sugar gliders, technicolour owls, flowers, and fungi! Join biologist Dr Lisa Gershwin on this truly unforgettable nature experience, a short walk from Hobart's CBD. Lisa will share the glowing world through fascinating stories and show you how to get great photos. You might even spot a platypus! Lisa will supply the ultraviolet (UV) torches and the natural history narrative, while nature will supply the wonder and awe.

Why does Finland consistently rank No. 1 on the World Happiness Report? Is it because they have more than one sauna for every two people? Maybe. Probably! Join our resident Finnish sauna expert (and genuine Finnish person!), Nanna Bayer, for a session that combines sauna stories, culture, and a dose of Finnish wisdom with our full sauna and polar plunge experience. Nanna will be available throughout the session to answer your sauna questions and share some history and mythology around saunas in Finland. You'll also have the chance to take part in the polar plunge, and earn a fancy badge designed by local artist Kat Scarlet. Book an entire tent sauna, or an individual spot. After your session, spend some time kicking back in the chill-out yurt and then enjoy the rest of what Hobartica has to offer.

Death's the only sure thing in life, so why don't we talk about it? Can funerals be fun? What's the best body disposal method? You're invited to a surprisingly uplifting evening with some of Australia's most buoyant death and dying experts, Tasmanian Aboriginal knowledge holders, and a few special guests. Come for the bad bagpipe music — stay for a healthy dose of end-of-life wisdom. Wear what you'd like to be buried in. ​ Participants might also like to book a ticket to Death Over Drinks for the chance to chat one-on-one with the speakers. This session is part of the Beaker Street Main Stage at Hobart City Hall. Your House Band for the evening will be the dangerously well-rehearsed Stevie and the Bunsen Burners. Enter through Market Place, where you'll find drinks, food, fires, and friendly strangers. Come early, stay late to enjoy all the action.

Breathing is a potent, readily available relaxation tool that can divert the acute stress response and return the nervous system to its relaxed, restful state. Join scientist and wellness teacher Dr Rebecca Chabot to learn to harness the superpower of the breath. In this session, participants will learn the basic science around breathing and why learning to breathe better is tied to both mental and physical benefits. You will be guided through a variety of basic breathing practices and techniques that will introduce you to the power of the breath to improve mental and physical health and to relax. Immediately following the one-hour workshop, participants will have exclusive access to the wood-fired Finnish saunas and salt water cold plunge pools.

TMAG After Dark is your original Beaker Street experience. Discover the inner workings of one of Tasmania's most iconic science and cultural institutions. Grab a drink, take in live music, peer down a microscope, and meet the scientists behind the collections. More program details coming soon. Free event Please note that this is a free event, no bookings are required.

Join Robyn Williams, host of ABC Radio National's The Science Show, and his longtime partner, science journalist Jonica Newby, on the eve of the show's 50th anniversary. Whilst enjoying a sumptuous three course meal, listen in on a discussion with Robyn about what it's taken, professionally and personally, to make the show for half a century. Join the conversation around the dinner table, as we discuss how science journalism has changed over the decades, and how it will have to continue to adapt, particularly in the face of growing mistrust and misinformation. Plus, you'll hear from some very special guests throughout the evening. The dinner includes a welcome drink on arrival. Other beverages will be available for purchase.

Head down to Hobart's waterfront, Australia's Gateway to Antarctica, to find the last outpost before you hit "The Ice." Like Antarctica itself, Hobartica is a meeting place for international cultures and polar traditions. Dive into icy polar plunge pools. Warm up in wood-fired Finnish tent saunas. Then settle into the Antarctic Lounge to chat with a phenomenal range of Antarcticans, and enjoy nightly live music, immersive projections, and Antarctic cocktails. But wait, there's more! Hobartica 2025 will offer a fresh season of polar encounters. Will there be geodesic domes, aurora shows, night ferries, and a kriller crustacean party? We're glad you asked. Full Hobartica program out soon.

Join us for a unique and immersive cultural experience at Piyura Kitina/ Risdon Cove, ningina Palawa kipli piyura kitina-ta, which means to give, to get, to bring Palawa food. This powerful gathering is more than just a meal, it's a journey into the heart of Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) culture, where every bite tells a story of Country, tradition, and renewal. Together, we will explore traditional Palawa foods and the seasonal knowledge that sustains Palawa people. As you taste the flavours of Country, you'll also learn what it means to give back, understanding that taking from the land comes with a responsibility to heal it. Through shared stories, food, guided walk, and advice on how to replant native flora, you'll deepen your connection to the ecosystem and gain insights into sustainable living, Palawa ways, and the cultural practices that have cared for this land for thousands of generations. This is an opportunity to not only nourish your body but also your spirit and to take part in a movement of regeneration, respect, and reconnection. Walk gently, eat mindfully, and give back to Country. Bush tucker lunch included.

Welcome to After Hours. Where the dance floor is throbbing, the lighting is low, and the vibes are absolutely filthy — but medically accurate. This is no ordinary nightclub. Yes, there's a DJ. Yes, there's dancing. Yes, there are drag queens, kinksters, and performers who could teach anatomy with just a look. But tucked among the sweat and sequins, you'll also find a classroom covering everything you didn't learn in sex ed, and a confessional booth where you can spill your deepest questions to a real sexual health doctor—no judgment. Open to everyone, and especially welcoming to queer, trans, and questioning folks, After Hours is the nightclub Hobart's been waiting for. *Performers to be announced*

In today's digital age, distractions are everywhere — endless notifications, social media, and the constant influx of information. In this talk, we'll explore practical techniques to help you regain focus and sharpen your attention amidst the noise. You'll learn strategies to train your brain to stay present, boost productivity, and reclaim mental clarity. From mindful practices to digital detox tips, this session will empower you to break free from the constant distractions and refocus on what truly matters. Rebecca will help you discover how to thrive in a world that's always vying for your attention.

What does a moving glacier sound like? What does it feel like? Experience the heartbeat of Antarctica's Denman Glacier transformed into an immersive dance party. Deep in the ice, AuScope seismometers capture a remarkable symphony: the crack and groan of moving ice, the rush of meltwater, the rumble of storms, the songs of whales, and the tremors of the Earth itself. Using machine learning, University of Tasmania scientists are untangling this complex soundscape, revealing the intricate interactions between ice, ocean, and bedrock, and Denman's 'voice'. Now, a sound artist and a DJ will transform these natural rhythms into an immersive dance track. And for the first time ever in Lutruwita/ Tasmania, participants will have the opportunity to actually feel glacial vibrations through vibro-tactile haptic suits — creating a full-body experience designed to bring deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing participants into a shared sensory space. Before the dance party kicks off, you'll have the chance to hear from the Earth scientists who captured these seismic recordings and are using them to understand how Antarctica's glaciers are changing. Arrive early for a pre-party chat with scientists from AuScope (including Jo Condon and Dr Sima Mousavi), The University of Tasmania and the Australian National University. This event is supported by AuScope, Australia's 'laboratory' for Earth and geospatial science research in Australia.

Artificial Intelligence was born in 1956, went through some awkward teenage years (also known as "AI Winters"), and then, to almost everyone's surprise, came roaring back with tools like ChatGPT. Today, AI is the fastest-growing industry in the history of capitalism and devours around 20% of the world's research and development (R&D) budget. That's a lot of brainpower (artificial or otherwise). Join Dr Karl as he connects the dots between the tech booms of yesterday, from the family car to the first home computers and today's mind-bending AI explosion. Along the way, he'll share how AI has been used to attack and discredit him, and how he's now turning the tables to make it a Force for Good. Expect real science stuff, genuinely funny (not artificially generated) stories, a few unexpected detours and of course, question time with prizes.

Why do some trees get big? Why do some get really big? In this educational excursion, we will take a deep dive into the Tall Trees grove at Mt Field National Park, an exemplary collection of the tallest flowering forests in the world. Moving slowly and carefully observing the towering eucalypts above us, we will compile a toolkit to understand how these trees grow and what they can teach us about the world. As a bonus, we'll get to see some spectacular waterfalls carved into the sandstone geology. Participants will learn about plant growth, basic botanical identification, bushfire dynamics, Southern Hemisphere biogeography, disturbance ecology, and giant forests. We will take a break during the tour to have lunch. Please pack your own food and water, and wear warm clothing and sturdy shoes. Bring binoculars and a telephoto camera if available. We will be slowly walking on easy trails totalling about 5 km, beginning at and returning to the Visitor Centre (and Waterfalls Cafe). Transport from Hobart is available for a limited number of people. The drive takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. If you choose the transport option, we will leave from Dunn Place Car park (TMAG, Hobart) at 8am and return by 3:15pm. We will be in the lower section of Mt Field, with a very sh

What happens when you pair research scientists with Year 9 - 12 students, with the goal of inspiring new artworks that communicate scientific concepts and ideas? Head along to the CoLab exhibition to find out! Through Beaker Street's CoLab initiative, students from New Norfolk High School, Hobart Big Picture School, and Hobart City High School work directly with early-career scientists over a period of a few months, including visiting their labs or field sites, and then create an artwork inspired by the scientific research. As well as being an awesome educational experience, the project generates an innovative and engaging form of scientific outreach through the arts. To find out more about this great program, visit the CoLab project page. The exhibition will be open 6 - 31 August, during TMAG's regular opening hours (Tuesday - Sunday, 10am - 4pm), as well as during TMAG After Dark on the evenings of Friday 15th and Saturday 16th August. This project is presented by Beaker Street, in partnership with Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. It is supported by the Fred P Archer Charitable Trust and the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

Take a self-guided nighttime tour through the City of Science, as nerds and curious minds take over Salamanca and beyond. It's a choose-your-own-adventure evening, from an Open Night at CSIRO to your favourite pubs hosting Roving Scientists, to live music and late-night surprises. Free, drop-in, and mostly family-friendly. What more could you want on a Thursday night? Full program coming soon.

During a walk in the forest, naturalist and internationally celebrated slime mould expert Sarah Lloyd will describe the life cycle of slime moulds and their role in the ecosystem. Sarah will indicate the sort of places slime moulds inhabit, how and where to find them, and outline the difficulties of identifying Australian species, many of which require DNA sequencing to confirm their identity. We will get the chance to view numerous species under a microscope, and Sarah will demonstrate the photo stacking technique used to view the detail in these mostly small and very beautiful organisms. This is a rare opportunity to walk alongside one of science's self-taught experts, in an exceptional natural laboratory. Sarah has spent the past 15 years studying and collecting slime moulds (myxomycetes) in the wet eucalypt forest and based on her work, the area is now recognised as one of the world centres of myxomycetes diversity. Note: Photography will not be allowed during the tour. There will be a 2.5 km walk (each way) through the forest, so a reasonable level of fitness is required.

An immersive exploration revealing Lutruwita/Tasmania's unique connection to the southern lights. This powerful visual journey, created during the 2025 solar maximum, showcases award-winning photography by Luke Tscharke, Andrew Phipps, Benjamin Alldridge, and Paul Hoelen. The images capture one of nature's most elusive and sought-after phenomena, the aurora australis, as it illuminates Tasmania's night skies. Visitors will experience the southern lights through stunning photographic works paired with accessible scientific insights, revealing how Tasmania's position makes it Australia's best aurora viewing location. Interactive elements include a live aurora dashboard displaying real-time solar conditions and time-lapse sequences showing aurora movement patterns. Presented as part of National Science Week 2025, this exhibition brings together artistic vision and scientific understanding during Solar Cycle 25's peak. "Southern Nights" celebrates our privileged Southern Hemisphere vantage point, where looking south across Tasmania's distinctive landscapes reveals these magnificent nocturnal displays that have captivated sky-watchers for generations. The exhibition will be on show at Social Gallery from 9 - 18 August, 10am - 5pm, and is supported by Inspiring Australia Tasmania and Dark Sky Tasmania. Free event Please note that this is a free event, no bookings are required.

Beaker Street proudly presents its 9th annual Science Photography Prize. The competition invites all Tasmanians to capture the wonders of our extraordinary part of the world — teeming with science and scientists. This exhibition of finalist images, half chosen by competition judge Cam Blake and half by popular vote, features incredible local photography, showcasing a diverse range of content, themes, and styles. Visitors will have the chance to vote for their favourite photo to become the People's Choice Winner. The exhibition will run in the Central Gallery from 6 - 31 August, during TMAG's normal opening hours (Tues - Sun, 10am - 4pm), as well as during TMAG After Dark on the evenings of 15 and 16 August.

Join "Platypus Guardian" Pete Walsh for a stroll along the Hobart Rivulet, where you'll discover Pete's platypus-spotting strategies, and with a bit of luck, spot one for yourself. Learn about platypus habitats and behaviour, the challenges they face in the waterway, and what we can do to help protect their environment. This is an easy walk along a level trail, which is generally wheelchair accessible. However, please note we may occasionally walk along sloping ground to get closer to the water. Participants can stay on the main trail, but those with limited mobility should be aware they might miss small sections of the tour. This tour is designed for families with children. An adults-only platypus walk is also available on the same day at 2:30pm, leaving from a different location.

Imagine a world where we could chat about death as easily as the weather, and where discussing end-of-life choices is considered great dinner conversation. We invite you to inhabit this world, if only for an afternoon. Pull up a chair, grab a drink, and join frank, essential, and joyful conversations about death and dying. Wander from table to table to meet a diverse lineup of experts and practitioners who navigate the realms of death and dying. This is a room full of spectacularly interesting people who have zero doubt that death is the most underrated conversation topic. From an independent funeral director and an end-of-life doula to a water cremation specialist, Tasmanian Aboriginal knowledge holders, and a human composting advocate, each table is a gateway into how different cultures and professions approach the ultimate human experience. The event includes your first drink. Other beverages will be available for purchase. Please note: This event is a casual, conversational gathering — not a grief counselling or support session. While the topic of death will be explored from many angles, including the personal and profound, attendees should not expect therapeutic or mental health support. If you're currently grieving or experiencing emotional distress, this event might not be suitable.

Join expert photographers for a hands-on field experience capturing Tasmania's night sky. This practical workshop allows photographers of all levels to learn astro and aurora photography techniques in real-world conditions at carefully selected dark sky locations near Hobart. Ticket holders will receive a video link with instructions on how to set up their cameras and basic photographic tips prior to the field trip. We ask all participants to ensure they watch the video before the event, to get they most out of the experience. Things to bring: Camera with manual settings capability (DSLR or mirrorless preferred) Tripod (essential) Fully charged batteries and empty memory cards Warm clothing (multiple layers recommended) Headlamp (preferred) or torch Weather-appropriate footwear for beach/field conditions Optional - remote trigger if your camera requires an external remote Your own water and snacks, and maybe even a warm drink!

Ladies and gentlemen! Science lovers, fact-checkers, and Wikipedia editors! It's the show where Australia's science glitterati face off for epic showdowns of wit, wisdom, and utter irrelevance. Hosted by the one-and-only Myf Warhurst and with a raft of special guests to knock your nerdy socks off, the Beaker Street Game Show is back, baby! This session is part of the Beaker Street Main Stage at Hobart City Hall. Your House Band for the evening will be the dangerously well-rehearsed Stevie and the Bunsen Burners. Enter through Market Place, where you'll find drinks, food, fires, and friendly strangers. Come early, stay late to enjoy all the action.

Is AI going to save us, enslave us, or just write all our event descriptions? Across Silicon Valley's storied kombucha bars and apocalypse bunkers, tech bros and AI insiders are rumoured to ask each other for their up-to-date p(Doom), or probability of AI doom. Will the future be the rosy utopia offered up in Dario Amodei's much-discussed essay "Machines of Loving Grace" in which AI accelerates scientific progress to warp speed — essentially curing all human disease, mitigating climate change, and more? Or will the planet be saved from human destruction another way, when artificial intelligence wipes us off the face of the Earth? This session is part of the Beaker Street Main Stage at Hobart City Hall. Enter through Market Place, where you'll find drinks, food, fires, and friendly strangers. Come early, stay late to enjoy all the action.

Mantra Collins Hotel is one of Hobart's most popular hotels due to its great central location. Situated just two streets back from the Hobart Waterfront and one block from the Central Business District, the hotel is within a short stroll of the famous Salamanca Place. Here you will enjoy the Salamanca Market every Saturday, decadent restaurants, fresh gourmet producers and boutique stores with handmade crafts. Here you can catch the ferry to the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona). From this Hobart accommodation, you'll also find tour meeting points, along with the city's main attractions close by. Walk to the Hobart Visitor Information Centre, Theatre Royal, Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, the Hobart waterfront and Constitution Dock. Housed behind a historic facade, combined with a modern accommodation tower, Mantra Collins Hotel offers contemporary hotel rooms, along with one and two-bedroom apartments some with iconic views over Mount Wellington, Queen's Domain and the Central Business District. Providing the perfect vantage point of Hobart and its surrounds, this centrally placed accommodation is self-contained with a kitchenette ( apartments only) LCD televisions with Foxtel, Wi-Fi, in-room-controlled A/C, and double glazed floor-to-ceiling windows. This hotel does not accept cash as a payment method. Credit, debit and prepaid cards are accepted to buy goods and services.

YHA Hobart Central is the most centrally located traveller accommodation in Hobart, only one block from the city's waterfront. The YHA is an easy walk to the MONA museum ferry at Constitution Dock, Salamanca Place and a multitude of bars, restaurants and cafes. YHA Hobart Central has clean and comfortable private and shared rooms, a social/lounge room with television, a kitchenette with communal cooking facilities and fabulous, friendly staff ready to help you with loads of local tips and tour bookings. There are also loads of great bar and dining opportunities, whisky distilleries, local markets, nearby bush walks, scenic Botanic Gardens and the beautiful Derwent River on your doorstep.

Among Hobart's finest, Vibe Hotel stands out as the ultimate 'eat, play' and stay' destination. Nestled in the heart of Hobart, this hotel embraces the Australian lifestyle to the full while the architecturally-designed facade - with its trademark coloured feature fins – has transformed Hobart’s skyline. Be welcomed by impeccable hospitality and meticulous details from the moment you step through the front doors. Immerse in contemporary rooms that were inspired by the sandstone cliffs of Bruny Island, along with Tasmanian oak furnishings, handcrafted by local artisans. Experience the ultimate esacape at our contemporary plunge pool, or take in the architectural design of our onsite Belvedere restaurant.