“Using stuff to make stuff that does stuff.”

This description of tinkering might sound glib, but Anneli Cole in fact neatly captures the engineering processes unfolding in little minds and hands at Questacon’s The Shed.

As the Learning Experiences Team Leader explains, tinkering is simply engineering in disguise.

Ten years ago, The Shed transformed Questacon’s Gallery 5 into the embodiment of what Anneli calls the “tinker mindset”.

“Throughout the centre we’d always had a lot of traditional STEM happening, but we were missing that tinkering element,” she says. “It was an opportunity for us to explore a new way of engaging people in STEM and engineering through hands-on activities.”

Designed to evoke a classic backyard workshop, the space taps into a familiar piece of Aussie culture.

“In Australian culture, the shed is where you do the tinkering, where you go out and repair things, where all the tools are. We wanted to capture that notion that ‘this is the place where we fiddle, get hands-on and try and solve some problems’,” Anneli says.

A decade on, The Shed has become a launchpad for Australia’s next generation of creative problem solvers — one cardboard box at a time.

Visitors will find Questacon’s most tactile exhibits here, often complementing its themed activities.

“At the moment, the challenge is to build your own paper rocket, which we launch off our bicycle-pump-powered rocket launcher. Then you can tinker around with the design to get it to do different things, like go through a hula hoop suspended from the roof,” Anneli says.

“We’ve been increasingly incorporating First Nations activities, artefacts and perspectives into our exhibitions and activities as well to showcase Indigenous technologies and knowledge systems. For example, one activity invites people to weave.

“Whatever it is, the main materials are generally paper, cardboard, masking tape and other things that are easy to access. We very rarely use specialist materials because we want that accessibility and that inspiration to come home with our visitors.”

The Shed’s visitors generally use paper, cardboard, masking tape and other highly accessible materials, so they can easily continue their STEM exploration after they leave.

The Shed also features early learning areas and popular tech stops like The Animation Station — an interactive exhibit with dedicated cameras and simple software that lets creators of all ages experiment with stop motion.

By incorporating elements of the arts into the offering, The Shed adds the “A” of Arts into STEM to create a true STEAM environment, and challenge a common misconception about creativity.

“So often we think of sciences, maths, technology and engineering as removed from creative spaces, but STEM requires enormous creativity,” Anneli says.

“And creativity is like any other muscle; everyone can be creative, you just need to practice at it. The Shed offers a chance for visitors to let their imaginations run wild. Whatever they can think of doing, they can give it a shot, personalise it and make it their own.”

Children often leave The Shed with a physical project to keep the momentum going at home.

“I know of someone whose kids were so excited by what they built at The Shed, that for the next two weeks their living room was a cardboard box fort,” Anneli says. “That’s what we want. The experience should not end at The Shed.”

While tinkering is generally defined as a casual attempt to repair or improve something with no set plan, at The Shed, its position as a subset of engineering becomes very clear.

It’s a space where, with no plans or pressure, the simple act of playing with bits and pieces is a win.

“Realistically, if someone comes into our space and just fiddles around with the materials that we have there, that’s a successful encounter,” Anneli says. “That’s a key concept we try to latch onto. It’s very easy to have a win in The Shed, but the sky’s the limit with where you take it.”

Crucially, failure itself is also framed as a win.

“In innovation, nine times out of 10 your first attempt is going to fail. That’s such an important part of the process because that’s where you learn,” Anneli says.

“That’s why for 10 years, The Shed has been a place for visitors to experience moments of frustration in a safe space, to build resilience and to see that no matter where their interest lies, anyone can be a ‘STEM person’.”

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