Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre, at the national museum of australia
Canberra, ACT, Australia
Arterial have recently completed the Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre at the National Museum of Australia. The immersive play space approaches storytelling through the lens of contemporary childhood early-learning theory. Each play experience connects stories extracted from objects within the museum collection and engages a multi-generational learning strategy encouraging carers and parents to share in content and learning outcomes. Multiple layers of engagement and all ages accessibility are designed into each story, addressing different learning styles and abilities. Consultation with Traditional Owners and artists from Wiradjuri Country and the Erub Island community of the Torres Strait enabled Arterial to include work from indigenous artists and to acknowledge diverse cultural perspectives on knowledge sharing and learning throughout the design and implementation process.
NMA Discovery Centre Promotional Video
The overarching framework for the design of the play space is a deconstructed 18th century sloop, inspired by Matthew Flinders circumnavigation of Australia in HMS Investigator. This “ship” inhabits the entire playspace through the use of architectural ribs, portholes and climbing structures. Animations, told through the portholes, transport visitors into six different stories and environments. Each of the six stories features a different Australian animal or mythological creature. The stories are reinforced through full-body interactive play opportunities which encourage the children to become and empathise with, the characters while acting out physical challenges. Arterial's design engages participants to access the narratives at an emotional and a physical level. They are involved with the drama and passion of the content, as they experience the stories for themselves.
The desired outcome is that, through play, hands on making and exploration, a greater connection is made between children, the Museum's Collection and greater Australian stories. As children grow and develop their interests, they will return to the Museum and build on these early connections while visiting other exhibits in the main Museum.
Thank you to ARM for providing architectural support and to the NMA for your incredible support and positive encouragement throughout the four-year process. Thank you to BUILT/DesignCraft for delivering such a high level of craftsmanship in the delivery of this remarkable project.