To celebrate Pi Day (International Day of Mathematics), the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute (SMRI) takes over the Chau Chak Wing Museum (CWWM) with fun family activities across the weekend.
The official theme of the International Day of Mathematics in 2026 is “Mathematics and Hope”.
Across the weekend we will explore mathematics with talks, panels, children’s activities in our Maths Craft Room and performances across the weekend in the Chau Chak Wing Museum.
An integrated program of activities will run across the weekend.
A magic show should not steal its own thunder with an abstract, but this one is easy for curious children and difficult for seasoned scientists, and you can try it yourself afterwards on friends and family!
Get creative with a variety of maths craft activities – from making ‘origami fidget spinners’ to beautiful line art and much more, these activities use mathematical concepts to make interesting and beautiful works, many of which you can take home!
Flexagons are like the fidget spinners of the origami world; constructed of folded paper, they reveal hidden faces when the paper is flexed.
Follow simple patterns to create colourful artwork using yarn or pen. This activity explores how you can use straight lines to form curves resulting in beautiful intricate designs.
Fractals are mathematical objects built from repeated copies of themselves. Visitors will construct units that will then be combined to contribute to our large-scale Menger Sponge.
Use a variety of bendy and wacky mirrors to explore concepts such as symmetry, transformation and how to map a flat image onto a 3D object! Craft your own wacky mirror to take home.
