From March 20-24, Brisbane will host a celebration and exploration of science,  joining New York as the only other venue in the world to hold the annual event.

Queensland Museum CEO Jim Thompson said the festival catered for everyone from nerds to children.

"This year's program will focus on brave new ideas as we discuss the challenges confronting humankind in the face of over-population and escalating climate change," he said.

"With so many events on offer, visitors of all ages will be spoilt for choice."

Here is a taste of what festival-goers can expect:

Time and the Creative Cosmos:

Brian Greene, an internationally renowned astrophysicist, will narrate a live stage show about "mysteries of life and the universe".

The Saturday night performance will feature singers, dancers and actors.

Turtle hatching:

Visitors to the festival will get up close and personal with hatching loggerhead turtles in their incubation chambers and see the tiny turtles' first encounter with sea water.

About 70 turtles will be hatching during the five-day festival.

Night at the museum:

Children will have a chance to explore the museum when the sun goes down on Saturday night.

Live music, science demonstrations and performances will be in full swing from 5.30 to 8.30pm.

Curiosity Brisbane:

A series of 15 installations featuring immersive, interactive and multi-sensory elements will stretch across Brisbane from South Bank to New Farm from March 15 to April 3.

What's on the menu in 2050?:

Vertical urban yards, pastoral labs and aquaculture stockyards may be the future for Australia's agriculture industry.

This exhibit looks a how traditional farming practice can be transformed to endure harsh climates.

Celebrating Queensland invention:

From medical breakthroughs to robots, this panel hosted by the co-inventor of the cervical cancer vaccine, Ian Frazer, will explore how Queensland inventors stumbled onto their Eureka moments.

Space travel:

Australia’s first astronaut doctor Andrew Thomas will reveal what it is like to travel into space.

Adelaide born Dr Thomas was selected for NASA’s space program in 1992 and has been to space four times.

A bug's life:

Science lovers will hear how insects are one of the most successful creatures on earth, despite being stomped on frequently.

Queensland Museum's Susan Wright will show off Australia's oldest Monarch butterfly and unveil the new insect collection.

A free two-day outdoor science "extravaganza" will bring science to life with explosive and interactive demonstrations and is Australia's first professional astronaut Andrew Thomas favourite part of the festival.

“The Street Science events being run over the weekend are always great fun, you get a lot of people coming in because it’s free and kid-friendly,” he said.

“Kids get to play with hands-on science, there’s all sorts of things to inspire their curiosity, and I have to say, inspire the curiosity of their parents.”

Thousands were expected to flood South Bank Parklands to take part in hands-on activities and explore the science behind robots, fossils, bubbles, slime, spiders, solar energy, drones, augmented reality, experiments and even explosions.

Science minister Leeanne Enoch said Brisbane's World Science Festival was the only one of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region and helped to enhance Queensland’s international profile as a leader in science, technology, engineering and maths.

“Along with the Brisbane event, the festival has also been presented in Gladstone, Townsville and Ipswich with Toowoomba [22–23 March] and Chinchilla [29–30 March] still to take place,” she said.

“Last year the festival attracted more than 200,000 people and delivered more than 100 events across the six locations – Chinchilla, Gladstone, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Brisbane and Townsville."

For more information head to the World Science Festival Brisbane website.