Westerlies, Windmills and Whirligigs

Special Event | Updated 1 decade ago

Image copyright of WA Museum
Westerlies, Windmills and Whirligigs at the Western Australian Museum – Albany

The WA Museum - Albany will be in a whirl these October school holidays in celebration of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. Join us as we take a look at ways we can help create a sustainable future through simple innovations and practices.

‘Westerlies, Windmills and Whirligigs’ is a series of hands-on, fun activities and workshops exploring how wind is formed and how it can be harnessed to produce sustainable energy.

In the special $7 10:30am activities, each weekday offers something different to do. Make a sail boat in ‘Wind in your Sails’ on Monday; make a table-top wind turbine in ‘Tumbling Turbines’ on Tuesday; create a kite in ‘Blowing in the Wind’ on Wednesday; make your own glider in ‘Hover, Glide and Spin’ on Thursday; and join us for a special trip to the Albany Wind Farm on Friday!

Saturday 29 September - Monday 15 October
Discovery Centre: 10:00am - 4:30pm daily
Special activities: 10:30am daily

Ages: Discovery Centre: All ages; Activities range 5 - 14
Cost: Discovery Centre ranges from 50c - $5; Special activities all $7
Bookings: Essential for all activities except the Discovery Centre on 9841 4844

In the Discovery Centre

Westerlies, Windmills and Whirligigs

Dates: 10:00am - 4:30pm, Saturday 29 September - Monday 15 October
Ages: All ages
Cost: Activities range from 50c - $5
Bookings: Not required

A range of activities are available throughout the school holiday period in the Museum’s Discovery Centre – no bookings are required, so come on down and have some fun!

Workshops

Tumbling Turbines

Dates: 10:30am, Tuesday October 2 and 9
Ages: 8-14
Cost: $7
Bookings: Essential on 9841 4844

Try your hand at designing a table-top wind turbine out of recycled plastic bottles and test out your creation in the Tornado Turbine Challenge.

Blowing in the Wind

Dates: 10:30am, Wednesday October 3 and 10
Ages: 5-12
Cost: $7
Bookings: Essential on 9841 4844

Explore how kites can be used to conserve non-renewable resources by using a drinking straw and your own wind power to decorate and fly a failsafe kite.

Hover, Glide and Spin!

Dates: 10:30am, Thursday October 4 and 11
Ages: 7-14
Cost: $7
Bookings: Essential on 9841 4844

Ever wondered how gliders can fly using only the wind? Or how a hovercraft floats above the ground or water? Use recycled materials to create your own gravity defying creation!

Farming in the wind

Dates: 10:30am, Friday October 5 and 12
Ages: All ages
Cost: $7
Bookings: Essential on 9841 4844

Join us on a visit to the Albany Wind Farm! Learn how they provide the clean renewable energy capable of lighting up cities, and make an anemometer and a wind vane to measure wind speed and direction.

Wind in your sails!

Dates: 10:30am, Monday 8 October
Ages: 5-12
Cost: $7
Bookings: Essential on 9841 4844

For centuries explorers have used only wind to cross oceans in their sailing ships. Experiment with sail shape to best capture the breezes, then build your own sailboat and see if it will survive the Roaring Forties!