Step into the future with Born or Built? Our Robotic Future, a hands-on exhibition from Questacon where families can play, explore and discover how robots and technology are shaping our world.
With a mix of interactive challenges and creative activities, it’s bound to keep the whole family intrigued and entertained! To help you make the most of your visit, we’ve rounded up the top five must-see experiences. Don’t miss these highlights during your journey into our shared robotic future.
1. Do you feel bad for robots?
Ever caught yourself feeling sorry for a machine? Meet a robot arm in a small enclosure with switch. The more you mess with the switch, the more “upset” it seems to get.
Through this playful interaction, you’ll think about why humans tend to attribute emotions to inanimate objects. Do you ever say “thank you” to Siri? Have you named your car? Come prepared to question how and why we form emotional connections—with objects, robots, and technology.
2. Who’s really in control?
Control a robot’s movements through a set of dials that steer it left, right, or forward. The robot will respond to your instructions by navigating a maze.
The challenge? You decide the robot’s path and can set your own goals. But what happens if your robot doesn’t go where you intended? Is it really the robot’s fault—or yours?
Take it to the next level by challenging your friends or family to map a route across all the tiles. But don’t be fooled—this task isn’t as easy as it looks!
3. What makes a face?
Unpack the fascinating world of artificial intelligence with this interactive experience. Here, you’ll create a face using various cut-outs of eyes, mouths, and noses on a placemat. Then, an AI-powered machine will evaluate your design and score its resemblance to a “real” face. It’s a thought-provoking glimpse into how computers recognise faces. Are there shapes the system interprets as faces that you don’t agree with? Why would a computer need to recognise faces, and when might it be better that they don’t?
4. What can you teach a machine?
Grab a partner (or fly solo) and step in front of a motion-capture camera. You’ll teach an on-screen robot “ragdoll” how to jump, duck, and dodge through a series of challenges.
Once trained, the robot will take on an obstacle course, using the movements you’ve taught it to steer past obstacles. But here’s the catch: does it always get it right? This exhibit opens up big questions about real-world machine learning. What happens if a system is “mis-trained”? And what could it mean for fields like transport, healthcare, or security?
5. Big Red Button
Here’s a test of willpower: presented with the infamous “big red button” and instructions not to press it, what will you do?
This deceptively simple exhibit challenges visitors to consider their decision-making processes and contrasts them to the behaviour of robots. What drives human free will? Could robots ever behave as we do? Would you trust a machine more than a human?
Born or Built? Our Robotic Future is now open at Queensland Museum Tropics, Townsville until 17 May 2026. Bring your family, challenge your perspective, and explore the world of robotics like never before – book now!
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