Beaker Street Festival 2021

Beaker Street Festival

This weekend, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) will celebrate science, art and curious minds as the Beaker Street Festival returns to the museum after a COVID-19-induced hiatus last year.

TMAG will serve as the Festival Hub from 6-8 August, allowing visitors to quench their thirst for knowledge with a range of science-themed talks, debates and workshops.

Visitors will also be able to chat with roving scientists, enjoy live music, food and drink, and also check out some wonderful art in the Bond Store Basement.

TMAG will be open from 6:00 pm to midnight on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 August, with free entry subject to capacity, however all talks are ticketed and must be booked at the website. All sessions on Sunday 8 August are ticketed.

Several ticketed sessions planned for the weekend are already sold out, including a talk with award-winning cartoonists Kudelka and First Dog on the Moon, a panel session on Tasmanian Aboriginal fire management and the annual Beaker Street debate ‘You can’t handle the (scientific) truth!’

Limited tickets are still remaining for talks with Professor Barbara Holland and NASA space historian Scott Pooke on Friday and with Distinguished Professor Maggie Walter and Dr Tas van Ommen on Saturday. Limited tickets are also available for the recording of ABC Radio podcast Ockham’s Razor and a session with Tasmanian whisky distillers on Sunday.

But even without a ticket, there is still plenty for visitors to enjoy! They can view the immersive ‘Diversity in STEMM’ gallery from the team behind the That’s What I Call Science radio show and podcast, and also listen to music from Tasmanian harpist Emily Sanzaro.

A highlight of the festival is always the Beaker Street Science Photography Prize, and the Judge’s Choice winner will be announced at 10:00 pm on Saturday night. The exhibition of finalists’ photographs will be on show in the Bond Store Basement at TMAG until 29 August, and visitors will be able to vote for their favourite to be crowned the People’s Choice Winner.

And what’s more, Beaker Street continues beyond TMAG with a range of events across the state until 14 August, including the Tassie Science Road Trip and the Nocturna Dark Sky Party at Spring Bay Mill.

To find out more about what’s on and to book tickets, visit the festival website: https://www.beakerstreet.com.au/.

Beaker Street Festival is presented by Beaker Street and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Major partners include City of Hobart, Events Tasmania, National Science Week, Detached Cultural Organisation, and Moo Brew.