You may not think dinosaurs and the big bang have much in common, however, creatures from both periods have made their way to Canberra’s city centre for City Illuminations as part of this year’s Enlighten Festival.
Launching today, Friday 3 March, Before Us: A Night Walk Through Time sees prehistoric creatures take over Civic Square and City Walk. The family friendly event is on 6.30-9.30pm each night with roving life-sized performances; you could encounter history’s most feared predator, the T-Rex, or a prehistoric emu. The roaming beasts come from the talented team at Erth Visual & Physical Inc.
“Come visit us; there is no telling who or what we may have lurking within the shadows or roaming in full view. You’ll have to see it with your own eyes and maybe even encounter the most unlikely creatures,” says Scott Wright, Erth Visual & Physical Inc. artistic director.
See some of Earth’s earliest lifeforms, dating all the way back to 555 million years ago, when the prehistoric illuminations light up in front of Canberra Theatre Centre. Travel through the different dinosaur periods, meeting creatures that roamed up to 66 million years ago.
The word is Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG) will let dinosaurs loose in their halls between 6 and 10 March from 4.30pm daily. The creatures are bound to escape their captivity before roaming the city streets. CMAG also has a fossilised Diprotodon skeleton on display.
It’s not in the city centre, but if you’re after a bigger dose of dino delights, head to The National Dinosaur Museum on select nights between 3 and 11 March for a special after hours tour. Prehistoric experts guide you through the displays, answering all your questions about the extinct animals before you come to face to face with the museum’s most lively exhibition.
Friday 10 March is a special adult only after-hours event where attendees are invited to learn the most salacious and scandalous secrets of the creatures.
Back at the Canberra Centre, deep space exploration is easy with It’s Not Rocket Science, a family friendly activation that will have everyone hands-on and wondering what else may be in our universe. Space creatures line the centre’s entrances and walkways; try to imagine the planets they have come from.
Take a step inside the space observatory and witness beautiful constellations, see baby moonrocks- only a billion years old, stand with the space rockets. Then uncover intergalactic secrets when you peer into kaleidoscopic space probes.
Become a space explorer by following the Centre’s intergalactic trail; can you find all five space stations? Locate the space creatures at each destination, then report back to headquarters for your very own astronaut helmet. All successful star-trekkers will be in with the chance to win a space pack.
The It’s Not Rocket Science Workshop invites little astronauts to embark on missions aboard the space station. Before being sent out among the stars and asteroids, they are encouraged to create their own jet packs or alien headbands – to help them blend in, of course. They can also get prepared for what they might find out there with an alien slime workshop. Bookings are required for workshops; details on the Canberra Centre website.
Once you experience all the creatures around the city, board the free shuttle bus and check out the Parliamentary Triangle Enlighten displays.
Enlighten Festival 3-19 March; for the full program, head to enlightencanberra.com
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