Australian Museum

Visit the Australian Museum (AM), a leading cultural attraction in Sydney with lots to see and do

Floodlit facade of the Australian Museum in Sydney
Floodlit facade of the Australian Museum in Sydney cc licensed photo by Newtown grafitti

Australia’s first ever museum founded in 1827, The Australian Museum offers visitors a great opportunity to explore nature and culture.

"With a mission to ignite wonder, inspire debate and drive change, the Australian Museum (AM) is internationally recognised as a leading voice for the richness of life, the Earth and culture in Australia and the Pacific. From transforming the conversation around climate change, the environment and wildlife conservation; to being a strong advocate for First Nations cultures; and to continuing to develop world-leading science, collections, exhibitions and education programs – the AM’s year-round program of lively events and exhibitions aim to shine a spotlight on issues important in society today."

An impressive 22 million objects and specimens are on exhibit in the museum's vast collection.

Some attractions you will not want to miss include stories of indigenous Australians, skeletons and facts about insects and dinosaurs. Be sure to check out the precious stones, minerals, fossils and meteorites to give you a great geological perspective of our planet. Another great attraction of the museum is the specimens of native Australian mammals, reptiles, birds and fish. There is also a broad spectrum of both land and marine environments about whose stories are worth hearing. Here, you also get to enjoy numerous artefacts from indigenous Australia, as well as the Pacific.

First Nations guides can teach you about the cultures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Visitors can also learn from scientists and thought leaders at regularly scheduled talks and performances.

Visitors may take flash and video photography in all the permanent and most temporary exhibitions other than the Westpac Long Gallery and First Australians galleries.

Round out your visit with a meal at the No. 1 William rooftop restaurant where you can enjoy a delicious meal and panoramic views of Hyde Park, Sydney Harbour and Cathedral Square.

General entry to the Australian Museum is free.

Nearby attractions: Hyde Park, Hyde Park Barracks Museum, Sydney Town Hall, St. Andrew's Cathedral, St. Mary's Cathedral, and Sydney Tower.



Facts For Your Visit

Fee: No

Australian Museum Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Address: Level 4/1 William St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia

Phone: (02) 9320 6000

Official Website: Australian Museum

Australian Museum Reviews

Rated 4.6 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Wow, for a free museum, this place is great! The exhibits are very interesting and the way they arranged the displays are wonderful. I love the TRex dissection model, that was unexpected and super creative! The building is beautiful too. We love how it's not just a simple multi levels. They also have a paid section (at the time of my visit, it was Lego).
F Paul - 3 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating Plenty to see and so here! Entry is free for general admission and you can exit and enter as many times as you wish. Visited on a hot summer afternoon and it was a lovely way to spend almost half the day there. The kids loved Burra on the 2nd floor, which was highly interactive and immersive. You also learn a lot about the First Nations people here and the nature exhibits were engaging for my children (3 under 9). Highly recommend!
Sarah A. - 3 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating Gorgeous museum with plenty of exhibits. There was a paid exhibit which I didn’t go to, but everything else was entirely free. They currently have an exhibit on photography which is absolutely stunning. I highly recommend going down to see it! I also very much enjoyed looking at the 200 treasures of the museum. Everything is wonderfully curated and I absolutely loved it.
Gracelin Chan - a month ago

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5 Star Rating Awesome Museum, I accidentally went in and I found a Lego Relics Exhibition and it was great, well prepared, with a lot of information and things to see and interact, also it is possible to take pictures, and go with your earphones there are audio guides. I also explored the photography exhibition and it blew my mind, divided by sections and with unbelievable photos. The gift shop has a lot of good souvenirs, but my bag was small, I need to go back. The toilets are in perfect conditions. They also have a free locker room where you can drop your stuff and borrow a power bank for your phone.
Juan Bautista Esponda - a month ago

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5 Star Rating Came here a while back when the 'Ramses' exhibit first opened to the public around 2 years ago, and I went again recently and it still has kept up it's worth. Lets start with the Ramses exhibit, I myself am quite intrigued by the Anicent Egyptians and this was a rather fun experience, seeing the Ramses' coffin and multiple treasures, and the realistic statues it was almost like I saw Ramses himself! The whole thing was so long that it kept me occupied for hours, a great time passer if you're interested in the Anicent Egyptians and their culture or treasures. For the other parts of the museum that weren't for a limited time, they're are on par with one another, I just couldn't choose with was more interesting. The dinosaur exhibit with life-size models and real dinosaur fossils/skeletons, combined with the multitude of information and interactive parts, it made it an awesome experience. The Central train station exhibit, it was surreal, basically being transported into the past, and seeing the old trains, signs and schedules. It felt like I was there, being late for work and catching a train. Being allowed to actually be inside the train and see all of it's controls and gimmicks was really nice. Overall, awesome experience, especially because the museum is open to anyone and everyone. 5/5 stars, no complaints from me.
Martin Brown - a month ago

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Directions

Train Line Nearest Station Walking Time
T2 , T3 or T8St. James or Museum7 minutes
L2, T1, T2, T3 or T4Town Hall7 minutes

How to get to Australian Museum by Train

By Train: exit at St. James Station; and walk south through Hyde Park then left (east) on Park Street, or at Town Hall Station and walk north on George Street and right (east) on Park Street, or at Museum Station and follow the park to Park and College Street (either is about a 7 minute walk).

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