Nano Lab at National Aquarium of NZ

Four sessions a day - pick a time that suits you

Explore the miniature zoo that lives inside the National Aquarium of New Zealand!

Shrink down into the world of Nano and discover the weird and wonderful, teeny tiny and sometimes creepy world around us.

As part of our Nano Zoo project over the summer holidays, you can have a front row seat and look at these tiny creatures by becoming a Nano Scientist in our themed Nano Lab.

Enter our special behind the scenes VIP laboratory, pull on your lab coat, join our educators and stare down the barrel of a microscope to:

• View astonishing slides of parasites, ticks, tapeworms, dragonfish, phronima amphipods (think alien queens of the plankton world) and much more.
• Make your own slides to zoom in and discover who makes scummy pond water their home.
• Get up close to specimens collected by real scientists on real expeditions on board NIWA’s vessel Tangaroa and the University of Otago’s research lab.
• Have the chance to view your own hair or even your fingernail!

This is an awesome opportunity to work up close with our educators, use scientific equipment and explore the unseen world.

Don’t forget to add on a general admission ticket to the National Aquarium when booking to complete your Nano Zoo experience.

Bookings are essential and spaces are limited. Four sessions a day - pick a time that suits you.

When: Daily at 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm, Saturday 17 December – Sunday 29 January
Where: National Aquarium of New Zealand
Duration: 25 minutes
Cost: $10 per person (excludes general admission to the National Aquarium). Add on an optional general admission ticket to complete your Nano Zoo experience.
Please note: Adults must accompany children under 14 years as a paid participant.

Special thanks to our partners NIWA, University of Otago, and Florida State University.