Questacon planned for more than half a million people in 2020 before bushfires, a freak hailstorm and COVID-19 decimated that goal

If you ask most adults in Australia what they remember most about a school trip to Canberra, you'll hear one answer over and over again: Questacon.

But the nightmarish 2020 has meant a whole grade of school children and more mature fans of the interactive science centre will miss out on having that experience this year as natural disasters and a global pandemic saw attendance numbers drop to unimaginable lows.

In a typical year, Questacon, also known as the National Science and Technology Centre, would expect to see around half a million visitors, with about 140,000 of those being school children on excursions.

In 2020, the centre was closed for five-and-a-half-days during early January due to smoke from the bushfires surrounding the ACT region. A freak hailstorm hit Canberra a few weeks later and while it didn't force Questacon to close, it damaged several outdoor exhibits.

But it would only remain open for another two months before being closed down again on March 21 after COVID-19 restrictions were introduced. Since then, it has remained largely closed only opening up to small guided tours in July.

A Questacon spokesperson said the centre had initially expected up to 520,000 visitors in 2020 but being closed for most of the year meant the target was an impossible reality.

Instead, the centre, which is half-funded by the industry department but also relies on ticket revenue and sponsorships, has seen just 64,202 visitors during 2020 - just a little more than 10 per cent of its initial expected attendance for the entire year.

Of that figure, there were 11,255 students from 117 schools across the country with the exception of the Northern Territory.

"There has certainly been a financial impact from the reduced visitation due to COVID-19 and the bushfire smoke in January, with a reduction in revenue from ticket sales. However, retail sales from Questacon's online shop during COVID have remained strong, as families look to bring science fun and inspiration into their homes all over Australia," a Questacon spokesperson said.

"The full extent of the revenue loss will be seen over time."

The dramatic drop in attendance meant 35 casual staff members were redeployed to Services Australia to assist with the coronavirus response.

Questacon has since opened up to small guided tours and now offers a virtual excursions for schools. It's held 141 of these since it first closed back in March.

With border restrictions and social distancing guidelines still in place for the foreseeable future, a regular experience at the centre might still be a while away.

"We have heard from a number of schools that they are eager to return to Questacon when the time is right. It is not unusual for schools to bring more than one year group to Canberra every two years," a spokesperson said.

"Schools are still hopeful that many of their students will get a chance to visit Questacon when they are able to return to in a COVID safe way.

"It is still too early to tell when that might be."