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September Holiday Experience

Have fun with the science of friction this September!

Date & Time
26 Sep - 11 Oct 2026
Location
Category
Tickets

Included In General Admission

Accessibility

Some areas are not wheelchair accessible due to stairs, confined spaces, and uneven surfaces.

Noise: display and activity areas can be noisy.

Parking

We recommend parking outside the Aviation Hall and enjoying the free heritage tram ride between sites.

Mobility parking is available on-site at Great North Road. Please arrange in advance.

Friction is at work every time you climb, tie a knot, slide down a hill or come to a stop. It's the force created when surfaces or materials move against each other. Although you can't see it, you can absolutely feel it.

These school holidays, discover the fun of friction with hands-on activities that turn everyday physics into playful discovery.

Make your own spinning top and test it across different surfaces - which will speed it up or slow it down?

Build a ramp from textured pieces and race a car or marble. In the Glide Zone, take a turn on the air hockey table and feel the difference friction makes to the movement of the puck.

See friction make art on the spinning bikes, design and test your own aircraft prototype in a vertical wind tube and explore how shape, weight, surface area and drag affect flight.

Get hands-on with rope, thread, string and yarn, trying your hand at knot-making and feeling how different materials grip and hold.

Plus so much more! Bring the whānau and enjoy a fun, hands-on exploration of the science of friction these school holidays.

Included in General Admission.

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All Aboard: How Tāmaki Moves

Opens 26 September.

Climb aboard a journey through Auckland's transport history and discover how movement has shaped the city we know today.

Explore interactive displays, immersive experiences and remarkable objects that reveal the people, technology and ideas behind Tāmaki Makaurau's transport network. From ferries and railways to future transport innovations, there's plenty for curious minds of all ages to discover.

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Ngā hau a Tāwhirirangi Forces of Flight

An Aviation Hall experience.

In this new permanent exhibition, discover the forces that take you sky high. Uncover the invisible powers that make flight possible and see how lift, thrust, drag and weight work together to keep everything from birds to jumbo jets soaring through the sky.​

With hands-on experiments and interactive displays that let you test the forces yourself, feel the balance of physics in action - push against air, shape wings and see what it takes to fly.​

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Te Puawānanga Science and Technology Centre

In our award-winning Science and Technology Centre - Te Puawānanga, explore rich stories interwoven with concepts of science, art, technology and maths that surround us every day. Te Puawānanga is all about interaction and discovery for all ages. From the towering Tāne Mahuta in Te Tumu - Play space for under 5s, to Beats in Time in Te Waha - the Innovation space, we welcome everyone to explore science and tech in a whole new way.

In the Te Manawa Science Alive Magic Box, create your own projector using lenses, light, glass and any smartphone. Learn how so you can make your own version at home!

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Date & Time
26 Sep - 11 Oct 2026
Location
Category
Tickets

Included In General Admission

Accessibility

Some areas are not wheelchair accessible due to stairs, confined spaces, and uneven surfaces.

Noise: display and activity areas can be noisy.

Parking

We recommend parking outside the Aviation Hall and enjoying the free heritage tram ride between sites.

Mobility parking is available on-site at Great North Road. Please arrange in advance.