A 900 square metre outdoor garden is now open at Melbourne Museum. Known as the Gandel Gondwana Garden, this adventurous learning space connects to the landmark Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs exhibition, as well as the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery. This fun space is perfect for children aged six to twelve, and will take them on a journey through Victoria’s ancient landscapes.
Gandel Gondwana Garden
Throughout the garden, you’ll learn about the science of Victoria’s biodiversity, and the prehistoric animals, plants and habitats that shaped our state’s environment over millions of years. It will provide a link to our understanding of evolution, and the ecosystems that make life on Earth possible.
“Gandel Gondwana Garden is a living, breathing gallery,” said Lynley Crosswell, CEO and Director at Museums Victoria. “It will change with the seasons and, like the children it has been designed for, grow and develop over time. The garden provides a unique learning experience, where visitors of all ages can explore the underlying principles of the natural ecosystems that make life on Earth possible, deepening their appreciation of nature and our vital role in it.”
The garden is named after the supercontinent Gondwana, which connected most of the Southern Hemisphere including Australia, Antarctica, South America, Africa, India and the Arabian Peninsula. It is also named after Victorian philanthropists John and Pauline Gandel, who contributed to the development of this project.
The garden’s design draws on programs of fossil discovery, research and expertise of scientific staff from the Museums Victoria Research Institute. Local First People’s knowledge on reading landscapes and listening to country also contributed to the design.
An added digital experience will launch in the garden later this year. This interactive quest will help young visitors learn through play, and further explore the flora and fauna that existed on Gondwana.