Australian Museum
The Australian Museum reopened to the public on Saturday 28 November after a 15 month $57.5m building transformation. As a major bonus, the NSW Government has announced general admission will be FREE to celebrate.
Free entry includes the popular Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Exhibition. This year's exhibition explores the changing nature of regional ecology and the impacts of climate change - one of the key focuses of the transformed museum.
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum was Australia's first museum, originally founded in 1827, and the recent renovations have redeveloped the public and exhibition spaces, including adding more than 3,000sqm of new public space. The new Grand Hall is the length of three tennis courts! Also transformed are other public spaces, including the creation of a new Museum Shop, and a second cafe. There are new gallery spaces and new bathrooms on every floor and a new family-friendly cafe on Level 2.
The Australian Museum has an extraordinary collection of over 21.9 million objects and specimens, which is the largest in the southern hemisphere. While entry is free there will also be special exhibitions that can be paid for separately.
A good one for the school holidays is the major opening exhibition 'Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family'. This unique exhibition focuses on the king of the dinosaurs, Trex, and its eclectic Tyrannosaur family.
Australian Museum during renovations
It features a colossal collection of skeletons, skulls, fossil eggs and even fossilised dinosaur dung (yes really!), revealing the stories and science behind these astonishing carnivores.
'Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family' also utilises the latest technology including immersive projections, animation and artificial intelligence (AI) to help explain how palaeontology works, how the Earth changes over the aeons, what evolution is and how sudden environmental devastation can cause even dominant species to become extinct.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is recommended to book a timed ticket in advance for 'Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family'. Paid tickets for this special exhibition can be booked online at Australian.Museum ($20 Adult, $16 Concession, $10 Child, Family packages available. Free and discounted tickets for AM Members. You can book here.
But for a first visit, you might simply want to go and check out the buildings amazing transformation. The Australian Museum focuses on Australia and the Pacific. The museum has over 21.9 million objects and specimens and offers a greater understanding of our region through scientific research, exhibitions and public and education programs.
The museum also sees itself as having a leading role in conserving Australia's biodiversity through understanding the environmental impacts of climate change, potential biosecurity threats and invasive species.
