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Output 3.1-Programs and exhibitions that engage people in science and technology.
Description
The National Science and Technology Centre (Questacon) aims to help Australians to value science and technology's contribution to our culture and economic prosperity. As a national leader in communicating science, Questacon makes science fun and relevant for everyone by engaging people in making their own stimulating discoveries.
Questacon operates as a semi-autonomous agency with the Department. An advisory Council comprising a part-time Chairman and seven Members appointed by the Minister for the Arts and the Centenary of Federation, support Questacon's activities.
Summary of major activities, significant issues and developments for Output 3.1
The 2000-2001 financial year was successful for Questacon, with more than 1.64 million people participating in a Questacon program, including nearly 400 000 in Olympics-related programs. This represents a 53 per cent increase on 1999-2000. The Centre's website recorded over 270 000 visitors (more than 4.37 million hits) during the year.
Activities in 2000-2001 included:
- staging a varied program of exhibitions and other programs in Canberra;
- organising 16 travelling exhibitions and outreach activities, including a new travelling exhibition, a new travelling program in partnership with Photonics Australia, and a new outreach program for schools in metropolitan Sydney;
- visiting more than 100 locations around Australia with the Olympic torch relay and staging a sports science exhibition at Homebush during the Olympics, both with the support of Shell Australia;
- commencing planning for Smart Moves, a new four-year regional outreach program for which $3.7 million in Government funding was approved through the Backing Australia's Ability program;
- developing two new exhibitions, including Our Clever Country, which was opened by the Prime Minister in January 2001;
- installing a new permanent exhibition, Awesome Earth, developed in collaboration with Perth's Scitech Discovery Centre;
- attracting an extension of Shell Australia's existing 15-year sponsorship of the Shell Questacon Science Circus;
- establishing a high-profile group, drawn from Government, business and industry, and the science research community, to support the Centre's fundraising activities;
- completing the building upgrade commenced last year and refurbishing two major travelling exhibitions; and
- winning the Alta Vista award for the best URL at Australia's first Science Film and Multimedia Festival in May 2001.
Performance Information: Output 3.1
More than 85 per cent satisfaction rate of visitors to our programs and exhibitions.
Visitor surveys and Customer Service Charter feedback both demonstrate a 95 per cent satisfaction rate with the Centre's Canberra-based exhibitions and programs, an improvement on the 80 per cent satisfaction rate recorded in surveys in the previous year.
An external evaluation of the Shell Questacon Science Circus (the main outreach program) during the second half of 2000 elicited similar results. The results were:
- 95 per cent of visitors to the exhibition found their visit worthwhile;
- 95 per cent of teachers interviewed found the Shell Questacon Science Circus visits to their schools to be valuable for students in one or more ways; and
- 900 000 people participated in Questacon programs in 2000-2001, 60 per cent outside the Centre in Canberra.
900 000 people participate in Questacon programs in 2000-2001, 60 per cent outside the Centre in Canberra
A total of 1 640 103 people participated in Questacon programs during 2000-2001, with 80 per cent outside the Centre in Canberra. Overall, this was an increase of 53 per cent on total visitor numbers in 1999-2000.
The Sydney Olympics affected Questacon visitor numbers in two ways. First, there was a large increase in outreach program visitor numbers because of Questacon's participation at the Torch Relay Celebration Sites and its Olympics exhibition. Second, there was also a significant drop in the number of visitors to the Centre in Canberra during September and October.
Excluding participants in Olympics-related programs, Questacon's total visitor numbers were 1 251 303 with 74 per cent outside the Centre. This total is 17 per cent up on last year. Outreach program participant numbers increased by 249 per cent on last year, due to the introduction of two new programs and a 14 per cent increase in attendances for the Shell Questacon Science Circus. Travelling exhibition visitor numbers were boosted by large attendances in Bangkok.
Being a national leader in communicating science and technology.
Questacon achieves this through:
- the high quality of its interactive exhibitions and programs, with an increasing focus on profiling Australian science and innovation;
- strategic partnerships with other organisations-through the resulting synergies which mean that Questacon can extend its range of programs and reach a wider audience while contributing to achievement of its partners' goals; and
- its continuing involvement in broader science communication activities and the science centre industry, both in Australia and internationally.
High quality exhibitions and programs.
As part of a three-year program to refurbish the Centre's building in Canberra to showcase the best in interactive exhibitions, Questacon developed and opened two new exhibitions during 2000-2001. They are:
- Our Clever Country, a new permanent exhibition launched by the Prime Minister on 24 January 2001, which showcases Australian inventions-from pacemakers to solar cells and from the boomerang to the ute; and
- Sea Chest Secret, a highly portable travelling exhibition designed specifically for upper primary and lower secondary students.
Questacon also installed, for opening on 2 July 2001, a new permanent exhibition titled Awesome Earth. This is about spectacular natural phenomena including earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and lightning.
The gallery refurbishment program will be completed in 2001-2002. In the longer term, one gallery will be available to host travelling exhibitions, and the 'permanent' exhibition offering will be refreshed on a rolling basis through development of a new exhibition every 12-18 months.
Other exhibitions featured during the year included:
- Special Effects Mark II, which allows visitors to explore the science behind film-making, from Scitech Discovery Centre, Perth;
- Cyberzone, an exhibition about digital technology from Scienceworks, Museum Victoria;
- Einstein: Man of the Century, featuring information, images and facsimiles of some key documents; owned by the Hebrew University of Israel, supported by the Embassy of Israel; and
- BG WildLife Photographer of the Year, a display of the winning entries in an international wildlife photographic competition from the Natural History Museum, London (toured by the Australian Museum, Sydney).
The Centre's target of no more than five per cent of exhibits down at any time was met comfortably, with an average across the year of only 1.9 per cent.
Questacon's enhanced Science Theatre program has professional actors presenting a regular daily program of shows on a range of science topics. A separate charge applies to these shows, which have attracted audiences totalling more than 72 000 people during the year.
Questacon is increasingly profiling Australian science and technology through, for example:
- the new Our Clever Country exhibition at the Centre in Canberra;
- the start of planning for a major new regional outreach program, Smart Moves, which will target secondary school students, teachers and communities across Australia to encourage students to recognise their potential as Australia's future innovators and consider careers in fields of science and technology;
- a new outreach program supported by Photonics Australia, using innovative presentations that combine live theatre with multimedia techniques, targeting senior secondary students to increase understanding of the science and technology underpinning the emerging photonics industry and raise awareness of the range of available careers in the industry;
- adding material on photonics and cloning to the Questacon website's new 'Teens'section; and
- the display of a Holden hybrid-technology car at the Centre in Canberra in 2001.
Strategic partnerships.
Continuing sponsors during 2000-2001 included Shell Australia Limited, Cootes Holdings Pty Limited, NRMA Member Services and BHP Limited.
Questacon has long collaborated with the Australian National University through the university's National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS). With the backing of Shell Australia, Questacon and CPAS jointly run the Shell Questacon Science Circus/Graduate Diploma in Scientific Communication program. Questacon also contributes to other postgraduate programs in CPAS and both organisations work together on projects such as evaluation of the Questacon visitor experience.
In working towards a Sydney base for its operations, Questacon has developed strong strategic relationships with key players at the Australian Technology Park (ATP). They are:
- the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority;
- Australian Technology Park Innovation which includes four universities as well as business interests; and
- major tenants of the ATP.
In May 2001, Questacon's Director signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the NSW Department of Education and Training, setting a framework for the collaborative development of a range of science and technology programs and activities for students and teachers, especially in relation to educational activities at the ATP.
Involvement in broader science communication activities.
Questacon's Director is the President of the Australasian Science and Technology Exhibitors' Network (ASTEN), a member of the National Executive of the Council of Australian Museum Directors, Chair of the panel of the ACT Research and Development Grants Scheme, and a member of the ACT Information Industry Development Board.
Questacon had prominent involvement in the 2000 ASTEN and Asia Pacific Network of Science and Technology Centres (ASPAC) conferences. A Questacon officer is editor of the ASTEN newsletter; another is advisory editor for an International Council of Museums bulletin. Questacon is also an associate member of the European Collaborative of Science, Industry and Technology Exhibitions (ECSITE).
Questacon has a Friendship Agreement with the National Science Museum (NSM) in Japan, and a commercial agreement with the Kokoro Company in Japan.
The Shell Questacon Science Circus contributed exhibits and science demonstrations to the Amazing World of Science exhibition during National Science Week.
Taking interactive science and technology to regional, remote and rural Australia.
Outreach programs
Questacon's ongoing outreach programs were attended by 209 109 people, in all Australian States and Territories including capital cities in five States and two Territories, more than 50 regional communities, covering every State and 11 remote Aboriginal communities in South Australia. This coverage is similar to that in previous years. In addition, a further 142 900 people experienced a Questacon program at non-metropolitan Olympic Torch Relay Celebration Sites.
The major outreach program, the Shell Questacon Science Circus, attracted 140 343 visitors during six tours in five States and while in Canberra. The Science Circus received funding from the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs to visit 11 remote Aboriginal communities and five remote area schools in South Australia, with programs for students, teachers and, where possible, other community members.
The Shell Questacon Science Circus also appeared at more than 100 Olympic Torch Relay Celebration sites around the nation for an estimated 216 300 people. Questacon presented demonstration shows and exhibits at the Olympic site at Homebush during the Games, with an estimated 172 500 visitors.
NRMA RoadZone aims to teach nine to 14 year olds important safety messages through high-tech interactive exhibits. During the year it visited four venues in New South Wales and Queensland attracting 46 105 visitors.
Two new outreach programs were launched in 2000-2001. They were:
- the Questacon Science Squad which is based at Questacon's ATP office and delivered science- based performances in 37 Sydney metropolitan schools during the first half of 2001; and
- the Photonics program which takes drama-based presentations incorporating multimedia elements to students in senior secondary classes, with the primary aim of increasing interest in careers in the photonics industry. Forty-two schools experienced the program in its first four months in Queensland and New South Wales.
Other Questacon outreach programs include portable planetariums called Starlabs, the Questacon Maths Centre and professional development workshops on a range of topics for teachers.
Travelling exhibitions
During the year Questacon toured nine interactive exhibitions to science centres and museums across Australia, in the Asia Pacific region and in Central and North America. In Australia, a total of 368 470 people visited these exhibitions while 284 250 people visited them outside Australia.
Engaging people in discovering how new technologies shape our future.
Work continues towards establishing a significant presence at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney, to showcase cutting edge Australian science and technology and to expose young Australians to the varied career opportunities in developing industries. A fundraising campaign is under way to gain private sector support.
Questacon increasingly uses new technologies to deliver some of its programs. Questacon's website, www.questacon.edu.au, added to its impressive collection of awards by winning the Alta Vista Award for Best URL at the first Australian Science Film and Multimedia Festival in May 2001.
The website attracted more than 4.77 million hits and delivered 36 gigabytes of information during the year. More detailed information for the eleven months from 1 August 2000 showed a total of 270 854 visits averaging just over three minutes in duration.
Adding value for stakeholders.
Revenue Generation
Questacon has consistently had a government to non-government funding ratio of about 60:40 over recent years with the ratio for 2000-2001 at 64:36. In order to maintain a ratio of the order of this magnitude, the organisation has worked hard to ensure it has a good mix of revenue from sources other than government.
Questacon achieved an increase of 7.8 per cent to $5.629 million on revenue from non-government sources on the previous year, despite the fall off in visitor numbers to the Centre in Canberra after the Olympics.
The key source of revenue from other sources is admission charges to the Centre in Canberra, which is to some extent dependent upon the flow of tourists into the Australian Capital Territory. To add to the visitor experience in Canberra and generate small increases in revenue, renewed emphasis has been placed on Visitor Programs in addition to the gallery experiences-for example, the Science Theatre shows. Other areas of revenue generation to which particular emphasis has been paid this financial year include:
- Travelling Exhibitions-touring exhibitions to other science centres and museums and achieving a price for them that represents a reasonable return on investment;
- Commercial opportunities-seeking opportunities to use the organisation's expertise to raise additional revenue continues to remain a reactive rather than proactive strategy;
- Sponsorship-Questacon has had a number of long-term high profile sponsors for many years, however, finding new sponsors has proven extremely difficult. With this in mind and the need to raise a high level of corporate support for two significant strategic initiatives (Smart Moves and a presence at the Australian Technology Park), a major fundraising initiative was mounted in the latter part of this financial year. Interest has been strong and consolidation is expected in the first half of 2001-2002; and
- Collaborative ventures-Questacon completed a second collaborative venture with a state science centre, Scitech Discovery Centre in Perth. The Awesome Earth exhibition for a refurbished gallery in Canberra was constructed by Scitech and exhibited in Perth prior to moving across to Canberra for its opening in July 2001.
Efficiency measures
Questacon regularly reviews systems and processes to either reduce costs or identify savings to help fund initiatives of greater priority. One of the key measures of success is the average cost per visitor. In 2000-2001, the average cost per visitor was $11.43. This represents a decrease of 3.8 per cent on the previous year. With Olympic visitor numbers included, the average cost per visitor drops to $8.71 which represents a decrease of 27 per cent on the previous year.
Some efficiency measures have been made during the year to redirect resources to other priorities within the organisation, including:
- a review of the senior structure of the organisation resulting in the removal of one level of management with the three Branch Managers taking on additional roles and becoming Deputy Directors; and
- greater emphasis being placed on asset management to optimise asset utilisation and life within the Centre.
Being a well managed and efficient organisation with a strong customer focus
A new Certified Agreement was developed by the Workplace Relations Committee and endorsed by a 95 per cent positive vote. A human resource development plan was prepared, focusing on existing and needed knowledge and skills. Staff training occurred in a range of areas including leadership, customer service, project management, computer skills, occupational health and safety, first aid and emergency procedures. A staff satisfaction survey was undertaken in June 2001, with results to be fed into planning and management activities during 2001-2002.
The Centre's volunteers, who work with the public in the exhibition galleries, complement and are extremely well integrated with the Customer Services staff team operating under the Volunteer Policy and Procedures developed in the previous year.
The Centre developed a risk management policy and identified high-level business risks and associated mitigation strategies. Identification of business risks at the team level across the organisation is planned for 2001-2002.
Building, facilities and systems upgrades continued during 2000-2001. This included work on the
airconditioning system, the fire protection system, some staff accommodation and both infrastructure and software enhancements for a number of information technology applications. A master leasing contract has been implemented to enable leasing instead of purchasing IT infrastructure.
Social justice and equity
Questacon promotes social justice through its exhibitions and programs by:
- taking the needs of disadvantaged and minority groups into account in designing and selecting exhibitions and programs;
- choosing topics which cater for cultural and gender differences;
- using clearly visible and easy-to-understand graphics and text; and
- providing access to exhibitions and programs to people in their own communities around Australia.
The Centre's admission prices provide a discount for family groups and reduced rates for pensioners and students.
Through its outreach programs Questacon continued to extend its audience reach in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia and welcomed a variety of visitor groups. Questacon's ongoing programs visited more than 50 regional, rural and remote centres in all States with approximately 12 per cent of all Australian schools directly serviced in their own communities, the majority of these in regional rural and remote communities. During July to September 2000, people in more than 100 locations experienced a Questacon program in the form of demonstration shows on the science of sport, accompanying the Olympic torch relay.
The Shell Questacon Science Circus again received funding from the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DETYA) to visit 11 remote Aboriginal communities and five remote schools in South Australia. To ensure the suitability of the program for the communities, Questacon staff underwent cross-cultural awareness training (also funded by DETYA) and sought advice from the Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Centre, The Investigator Science and Technology Centre in Adelaide and from the Centre for Appropriate Technology in Alice Springs. As well as shows and hands-on activities for students, and where possible other members of the communities, the program included sessions for teachers on simple classroom activities using materials provided by Questacon.
A small exhibition on Aboriginal science and technology is currently being researched and developed by Questacon in close consultation with the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation in Maningrida, Northern Territory and with The Investigator Science and Technology Centre in Adelaide. This exhibition, to be staged at Questacon from 2002, will provide access to aspects of Indigenous science and technology for a wide cross-section of Australians.
A growing range of material is available on the Questacon website. Science content, educational materials, online activities and information about Questacon and its programs-including some online booking options for both outreach and Canberra-based programs-are increasingly accessible across Australia and internationally. | 
