The HMRI Poo Palace is a giant, inflatable digestive system where kids (and adults!) voyage through each stage of the digestive journey – from tongue to toilet!
Visit the HMRI Poo Palace during National Science Week at the Newcastle Museum between Tuesday 15 August and Sunday 20 August 2023.
Kids can climb in through the mouth, down the oesophagus, into the stomach, through the small and large intestines and out the bum in this larger-than-life experience.
Poo Palace visitors also get to:
- Participate in live experiments
- Make their very own playdough poos
- Learn first-hand from gut health research experts how food moves through the body, how diet affects gut health and about gastrointestinal disorders.
When: Tuesday 15th August - Sunday 20th August 2023
Where: Newcastle Museum, Workshop Way, Newcastle
Time: Sessions run every 45 minutes from 10.30am - 3.00pm. On Sunday 20th August as part of the Hunter Science Festival sessions will run every 45 minutes from 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: FREE but bookings are essential. Book below
Dedicated sessions are also available to children with special needs. Please book using the links below
Tickets
*** PLEASE NOTE: All sessions are currently SOLD OUT ***
Tickets may become available if there are booking cancellations.
For sessions on the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th August BOOK HERE
For sessions on Sunday 20th August at the Hunter Science Festival BOOK HERE
Sessions for children with special needs will be held on Tuesday 15th, Thursday 17th and Saturday 19th August BOOK HERE
Tickets are required for children only. You do not have to book a ticket for the adult, however adults must accompany their children, and be prepared to enter the Poo Palace themselves if their child is distressed. It is essentially a very large jumping castle, and although HMRI staff will be actively supervising behaviour, injuries sometimes occur.
Socks are to be worn.
From the 'Poo Room' to the 'Poo Palace'
You may have seen version 1.0 of the Poo Palace (ie. The Poo Room) which was a key feature of our HMRI Open Days from 2017 to 2019. Previously constructed in an office at the HMRI Building, dark sheeting and props were used to mimic an oversized digestive system.
The exhibit was a real crowd pleaser and a highly effective way of engaging children, teaching about food science, digestion, healthy diet and the human body.
The success of this exhibit led to what the Poo Palace is today. Standing 4 metres high, 10 metres wide, and completely mobile, the sensory experience can now be enjoyed by so many more children and community members of the Hunter New England Local Health Distict.