More than 200 spider specimens, including 12 live spiders, have taken over level 3 of the Queensland Museum, giving Brisbane Kids the chance to come face-to-face with Australia’s amazing arachnids. Spiders – The Exhibition offers loads of interactive experiences that kids will love, like taking a peek into the insides of a spider using 3D scanning technology!
And whether you find spiders terrifying or fascinating (or a bit of both), you’re guaranteed to learn something at this exhibition, which explores all aspects of a spider’s life including diet, habitat, venom, reproduction and recently discovered species. Who knew a spider’s web silk was stronger than steel?
Interactive experiences at Spiders – The Exhibition
Kids often learn best when they can get “hands-on”, and this exhibition embraces this idea with multiple interactive displays. There’s a dance-off challenge with a colourful peacock spider; the opportunity to virtually “hold” a wolf spider in your hand, and a ball game that tests out different pincer action (pictured). These interactive experiences are dotted throughout the exhibition to keep kids interested right until the very end. There’s also plenty of videos to watch, and touch screens to manipulate to learn more about the creepy crawlies. But perhaps most impressive of all is the up-close look at live Australian tarantulas, red-backs, funnel-webs and giant water spiders (all safely behind glass of course)!
Kids’ area at Spiders – The Exhibition
The exhibition is broken up into themes: what is a spider; spider survival; spider diversity and distribution; spider science and discoveries, spider reproduction and Queensland Museum research. Right at the end, the space opens up into a kids’ play zone. Here you’ll find a spider construction area, book corner, a web-building whiteboard and a junior taxonomy challenge. Plus there’s plenty of comfy seats for parents to sit on while you watch your kids become mini-scientists.
Name a new spider species!
As part of the exhibition, Queensland Museum arachnologists are giving visitors the opportunity to name a new species of local trapdoor spider. The new species was uncovered by Queensland Museum Principal Curator of Arachnology, Dr Michael Rix, at Mount Glorious, north of Brisbane. Also on display are four recently described palisade trapdoor spiders, the work of Queensland Museum’s taxonomists. They are called trapdoors because of their distinctive burrows protrude out of the ground like miniature towers.
Spiders – The Exhibition gift shop
As to be expected, the exhibition has its own dedicated gift-shop, which does have some cool products and educational resources if you want to find out more about our eight-legged friends. Spiders – The Exhibition is developed and toured by the Australian Museum and Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre.
How to purchase tickets to Spiders – The Exhibition
The exhibition opens on Friday 6 December and runs until 4 May 2020. Entry to the exhibition is $15.50 per adult and $12.50 per child. There are discounted family rates and discounts for members. Throughout the year, the museum hosts “A Night at the Museum” events which will include entry to the spider exhibition.
To purchase tickets, visit www.qm.qld.gov.au.
For more information about other things to see and do at the Queensland Museum, please read our detailed review.
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