How old is it, really? 

The Dating Game is a hands-on activity invites kids, families, and curious minds to become museum curators for the day! Using science and clues, you'll get to figure out how old different museum objects are. 

Usually, you can only look at these artefacts behind glass, but in The Dating Game, you will get to hold the museum objects. This rare chance to touch the past makes the activity exciting and unforgettable. 

Here's how it works: you will be given a set of objects and a challenge; can you figure out which one is the oldest? Which one is the youngest? Around the stall, you will find posters with helpful hints about different scientific dating methods, like how fossils are dated or how scientists figure out when a rock or artefact was made. Once you have made your guess, you'll get feedback to see how close you were. It's a fun challenge and a little competitive too!

But The Dating Game is more than just fun. You’ll learn how museums and archaeologists use science to uncover the secrets of the past. By letting you touch real objects and solve age old mysteries, this activity helps make science feel real and exciting. It’s also a great way to learn how people from long ago lived, what the Earth was like millions of years ago, and how scientists solve these puzzles today.

At the end of the day, The Dating Game is about making history and science come alive and making you feel like part of the story. So, are you ready to find out 'How old is this… and how do we know?'

This activation is funded by Inspiring SA.