Australian Museum
Australian Museum
4
About
The Australian Museum, opposite Hyde Park in Sydney has recently undergone a $56.5 million dollar refurbishment. Established in 1827, the Australian Museum, the nation’s first museum, is committed to its leading work in scientific research, STEM education and creating world-class exhibitions for Australian and international visitors alike. As the custodian of over 20,000 cultural objects held in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collection and many thousands from across the Pacific, the AM is also an important site of cultural exchange and learning.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Inner East
How to get there
  • Museum • 6 min walk
  • St James • 6 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • jenw9112016
    Forster, Australia58 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Cultural Day
    What a fantastic half-day at the Australian Museum! General entry is free however, you will pay for any special exhibitions currently showing. We went on a Saturday morning and it was great to see so many young families with kids there. It takes 3-4 hours to get around the whole museum and there is a restaurant upstairs (bookings essential) and a nice coffee shop downstairs. We attended the Sharks interactive exhibition and learned so much about them. Great value for money!
    Visited March 2023
    Written 19 March 2023
  • TVDad
    Tampa, Florida1,482 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating, Fun and Free!
    This was one of my favorite spots to visit in Sydney and it was FREE! It covers everything from dinosaurs to aborigines and the top 100 Australians of all time. Every room has something fascinating to offer. You can even see the prop used as kryptonite in the Superman movies! First time visitors to Australia, should make this a must-do stop. We arrived at 10:15am, just before a volunteer guide started his free tour! TAKE THE TOUR! The guide basically walked us into each room and told us his two favorite things about each room. But he also asked guests what we were interested in. He covered those topics too. The 45 minute tour turned into a two hour tour. When we finished, we doubled back and stopped in the 2-3 rooms we liked the best. In all, we spent 3-4 hours in the museum and had a wonderful time. I particularly liked the aboriginal exhibit, two rooms of artifacts. And the Australian top 100. That’s bios on the most influential Australians of all time! The museum can be overwhelming. That’s why I suggest taking the free tour. Check on line or call for tour times. And again, admission is free!
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 March 2023
  • moorey83
    Bexley, Australia33 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A fun-filled family day at the Australian Museum, perfect for all ages!
    Our family had a fantastic time at the Australian Museum! Although we were initially worried about finding age-appropriate activities for our 14-month-old daughter, the Burra room turned out to be a big hit with her. It was great to see her engaged and curious about the exhibits. The only area for improvement would be the cafe, which had limited food options and seemed a bit expensive. Nevertheless, we still had a wonderful day out and would highly recommend the museum to other families.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 April 2023
  • Deanosaur89
    Edmonton, Canada2,162 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Quick Visit to the Museum
    The museum is very well done with lots of exhibits on Australian natural and human history. We enjoyed the exhibit with Australia's animals and the 200 treasures. Our visit was cut short because we went at 4 pm but we felt we saw the highlights. Museum entry is free and it is right near Hyde Park if you're planning to walk there. The museum has some very engaging exhibits and some interactive displays that families could enjoy. There are also a number of interactive exhibits in each area.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 July 2023
  • LSQRD1
    Kent, Ohio807 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting specimens
    We always check out the local museums and were not disappointed. The historic old hall had a cool selection of artifacts and specimens. There were some interesting displays of individual collections and fossils of australian mammals. Some exhibits struck us a more effective than others. We were definitely glad we stopped in and we learned some things and got to see some interesting specimens.
    Visited June 2023
    Written 26 July 2023
  • mozzavella
    127 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not so big.
    I finally got to visit the Australian Museum. The last time here was about 48 years ago. The entry was free. Somewhat excited to be here, did not take long to realize it was just your average place. As a child I remember it being huge, but as an Adult, well a little disappointed. Compare to other Museums I have seen overseas, a lot of catching up. I felt like I may have missed a floor or level. But checking the guide, I had not. One level dedicated to a Cafe and rest area. some renovations were in progress, which obviously restricted space. I feel it had more to offer but has not the space. I might wait another 48 years before i go there again.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 August 2023
  • Steven B
    16 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hologram Dinosaurs - total waste of money.
    Spending $72.50 for my family of 3 to go through the dinosaur hologram exhibition was a mind blowing waste of cash. It was a strange and unsophisticated experience. We were rounded up into groups and told to start then stop walking in line with a light that guided us through a cobbled together short maze that we repeatedly went through with the images changing each time. After the fourth time were told it was over and I felt instantly relieved. How anyone thought it was an exhibition fit for public consumption is ridiculous. Gross disappointment. The rest of the museum is mediocre at best.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 30 September 2023
  • Lilla C
    Brisbane, Australia435 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must see in Sydney
    On a week stop-over in Sydney, I was curious to see this Museum and was not dissapointed. It was certainly the best thing I did all week. I learnt a lot of interesting things in the two hours I spent here... As luck would have it (because I scuba dive often), there was a special shark exhibition showcasing Australian icon Valerie Taylor, pioneer diver and conservationist. I recommend it to anyone who wants to escape the city hustle and bustle in an oasis of quiet reflection.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 29 October 2023
  • ToujoursLaRoute
    Paris, France1,197 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to visit
    Great visit, in only 90 minutes we took the free tour with a guide, and we were able to take advantage of the best things to be discovered inside the museum. History, art, nature...everything is there. You learn a lot about the country and about its people. One suggestion: an audio guide would really be a plus for the visitors!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 November 2023
  • Kim V
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs -- a must see!
    I visited the Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs exhibition on the weekend and it was absolutely spectacular. The exhibits were truly awe inspiring and incredible (they are over 2,000 years old!) and the way the whole exhibition was presented was so thoughtful and really created a special atmosphere. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see these antiquities and I'm thrilled we were able to see this in Sydney; it was very special. The virtual reality experience was entertaining and lots of fun and would highly recommend opting in to do this. Staff were helpful and friendly. We also had a nice casual lunch and coffee in the Billabong cafe, which was a very pleasant place to regroup after the exhibition.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 December 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles1,066 reviews
Excellent
413
Very good
407
Average
164
Poor
58
Terrible
24

Paula H
Dover Gardens, Australia199 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
Well done Australian Museum. I travelled from intestate to attend the much anticipated, long awaited exhibition of Ramses the great. And WOW I was not disappointed. It was absolutely amazing. Congratulations on a fantastic educational, exhibition. With so much information and the display was just spectacular.
Just a pity I was limited to 2 hours. I could have stayed all day
Written 17 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

nzandnz
New Zealand352 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
It was annoying to arrive 20 min early, only to be told to wait 20 min. Lucky my booking was at opening time, so I did the VR first, no queue.
The VR experience was very expensive for a short viewing.
I must say I was disappointed. I’ve been fascinated by Egypt for 40 years or so, I was fully absorbed in the experience, imagining I was in the tomb looking round, it was beautiful and a moving experience .
I loved the feeling of flying through the dessert, imagining I was there - Then all of a sudden the chair leans back and you’re flying backwards through the dessert with some stupid Hollywood inspired evil spirit of Rameses, right in your face chasing you! A beautiful experience ruined. Kids would be terrified.

It had potential to be awesome, but became a silly dramatised mess towards the end, leaving me feeling deflated.
The exhibit itself was good, despite the high cost. The shop at the end was also very expensive as expected.
Written 2 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steve & Jo
Sydney, Australia8 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
We went to the very good Ramses exhibition today. We also visited the Billabong Waterhole café – the only outlet for food in the building, only to find there was virtually no food left. This was at 1:15 PM on a weekday lunchtime. Plus charging over $5 for a small bottle of water? Patrons deserve better.
Written 20 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sweetstuff1
Australia38 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
I was so excited to see this exhibit only to be let down by the sheer lack of intelligence running it. Tour time was 2.30. Tickets state to be there 20mins early, which we did. Only to be told it was over crowded and we had to wait to enter. There were 1pm time slot people rocking on in at 2.30 and being pushed through like cattle. We had no chance to read or see anything. We couldnt move. Not a covid safe or fire safe environment. The artifacts themselves are absolutely outstanding. The exhibit however was executed awfully. Save your money and go to the Canberra one.
Written 19 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lisa H
5 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
My family and I bought tickets to the Ramses exhibition and attended today during the correct timeslot and it was really disappointing. To be fair, the curation and finer details of the exhibit seemed excellent but there were so many people in the same timeslot that I struggled to read any of the signage or even view many of the pieces on display. There were at least double the amount of people going through during the timeslot than there should have been, it was really quite ridiculous. I could feel people's breath on me and there were times I was completely boxed in from moving anywhere; not conducive of an interesting, educational, and cultural experience.
If you can't go during a weekday, which I presume would be less popular, I would save your money. It would have been well priced if we could actually experience it but at that capacity it was awful and we left feeling claustrophobic, germy, and ripped off.
Very disappointed.
Written 18 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

smiler1956
Birmingham, UK519 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
Visited with my wife. A very detailed and interesting museum charting Australia's culture and history. Allow yourself plenty of time!
Written 13 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deb F
London, UK31 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
Curators have NO clue about flow of people and movement through an exhibit. Fire them. Except the ones who put in the plaques up high.
Audio tour is $11 extra, VR is $30 extra. I did neither.
Go during "Off peak" hours (not weekends or public holidays) and save $9 ($43 down from $52)
You go in upstairs, wait through an introductory video (docent said it took 7 mins, my phone said about 5) and then there are 10 display cases. Then you go down an escalator, and there are more.
In all cases, the people listening to the Audio Tour were prompted to stop where they could most efficiently cause ALL traffic to come to a complete stop.
Additionally, throughout the exhibition, are multiple videos causing people to STOP, stand still, and watch. There was NO SPACE to move around them. Would have been better to seat all entering groups to watch ALL videos in one place, and set the audio guide points to spaces where people could stand and listen, away from those trying to look and move on.
Several times, about 12 feet in the air, were plaques explaining things. AWESOME! Unfortunately the plaques describing what was in each display case were sbout 3 feet off the ground, and were not duplicated above head height. So if you wanted to read them, you had to wait, or push in front of people. Useless.
In several cases, the lighting allowed you to just see the hieroglyphs on things with your eyes, but flared so badly in the (flash off) camera screen that they were just a blank. Very disappointing.
"Lighting up the Gods" allowed you to press a button, and have a tiny LED light up - visible only if you knew exactly where to look. That was as interactive as it got. Oh, apart from the ability to stick your camera in a six inch gap, and try and get a photo of Nut the sky goddess, on the lid of a sarcophagus, which is on display UNDER the rest (making it invisible to humans without cameras), instead of the lid being displayed beside the sarcophagus. There is a photo of it on the wall, where the actual artefact could have been sensibly displayed.
The exhibition itself might have been interesting, but by the end I was so irritated by poorly designed flow, I didn't enjoy it.
Gift shop is at end of exhibition, only accessible from there (ie you can't go back if you decide tomorrow that you DID want that tea towel). The only postcards they had was a pack of four (ugly ones) for $10. Toilets are difficult to find (they're on LG floor near cloak room) and staff give poor directions to them.
Multiple signs encourage you to scan the QR code to win a prize. These links appear to point to a dodgy Chinese site.
Next time, pay someone to model people movement through your exhibit as PART of the design. Your current "experts" don't have a clue.
Written 12 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RicandAL
128 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Booked a timed entry into Ramses exhibition today and was very disappointed that the whole experience was of overwhelming crowds
Whilst the exhibition looked impressive we missed half of it as after an hour crawling at a snails pace around tightly packed narrow corridors we skipped through and exited
A classic example of prioritising money over clients experience which from a government institution is very disappointing
Written 9 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Patricia B
Borough of Brentwood, UK33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
Visited on Tuesday January 30th. Arrived with 2 grandchildren aged 9 and 11 circa 9.40am. Paid at the desk 90 dollars for 1 concession, 2 kids.
Went straight in. As it was the tail end of the school holiday it was fairly busy as expected but not too packed. There were enough Ask Me staff for the numbers at The Museum. There was a free and informative Highlights Tour at 1pm which we joined. They have an excellent play area for kids on Level 2 with good staff. The cafe area with an adjacent buggy park is a good idea. Having a wealth of Museums to visit and compare in London, I must congratulate Sydney on a beautifully displayed and accessible Australian Museum
Written 30 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LiimmoM
Browns Plains, Australia118 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Friends
I was in Sydney to see the Ramses Exhibition, and I will say the artefacts were good. However, the overcrowding of the sessions was too much. I am glad we did not have a bus tour in there too! We paid $52 for an adult ticket but felt it was hard to see things in a timely manner. It was chaotic, and people were all over the shop. The people who had the audio option were often standing in front of the tags, which meant often circling back if you wanted to see something in particular. The rest of the museum was okay, but I thought the shop was not as good as I had seen in Brisbane. Good info on dinosaurs. Tip: book in advance.
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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