Uncovering Wonders: is the Australian Musem worth visiting in Sydney?
Sydney is absolutely packed to the brim with wonderful museums and galleries to explore. There’s the MCA, the Gallery of NSW, Museum of Sydney and the National Maritime Museum just to name a few. There honestly are so many things to do in Sydney, that it is hard to narrow down the choice particularly if you only have a few days here. You should know, though, that the Australian Museum is worth visiting as part of your itinerary, particularly if you have kids in tow.
How to get to the Australian Museum
If you are staying in the Sydney CBD, then getting to the Australian Museum is super easy. St James, Museum and Town Hall on the city loop train line are all a short 7 minute walk away from the museum entrance.
The Australian Museum is located on the Oxford Street side of Hyde Park, so for those staying in the city you might also choose to stroll through Sydney’s oldest public parkland from your accommodation to get there. There are also bus stops right in front of the entrance, so there’s plenty of choice in how to get to the Australian Museum.
Where to stay to visit the Australian Museum
There is no shortage of beautiful places to stay in Sydney. Most visitors to the city usually stay around the CBD, Circular Quay or Darling Harbour – all of which have a very easy commute to the Australian Museum. The Ultimo is a great choice for a funky, pet-friendly accommodation option near Chinatown and the Shangri-La is a wonderful choice for those wanting stunning views of Sydney Harbour.
Darling Harbour has a brand new W hotel that is garnering fabulous reviews, but there’s also a smattering of other big-name hotels in the area like the Sofitel and the Novotel in the area.
Booking.comEntry to the Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is not just an exciting attraction in the heart of Sydney. It is also a totally free attraction – making it doubly cool. There’s no need to book online or pay for any of the permanent exhibitions.
Occasionally, there may be a touring exhibition that has an extra charge and requires booking, but honestly the many free galleries hold more than enough excitement for a visit without having to pay for a thing. The Australian Museum is worth visiting in Sydney for anyone looking for a free day out.
What makes the Australian Museum worth visiting?
There is so much to see in this amazing museum that it is hard to list everything. However, I’ve put together a list of my favourite activities that make the Australian Museum worth visiting. It also has the honour of being Australia’s first public museum, founded all the way back in 1827.
You can rub shoulders with the dinosaurs
On the same floor as the dinosaur collection is the hall of birds, another one of my daughter’s favourite exhibits and one that definitely makes the Australian Museum worth visiting for us. The stretch of glass cabinets features an incredible array of taxidermied birdlife, including an emu, a pelican, an assortment of owls, a kookaburra and some beautifully coloured parrots. My daughter absolutely loves birds at the moment, so this section of the museum is utter heaven for her.
There are few things more exciting when visiting a museum than seeing the dinosaurs. And luckily the Australian Museum has an incredible collection of prehistoric beasts to admire. The dinosaur section contains a rather unique (if not a little gory) T-Rex autopsy, which for some reason my toddler always gravitates to.
There are also a large number of skeletons and large model dinosaurs as well as some interactive sections. My favourite part of the dinosaur exhibit is the entrance where the giant skeleton of a Jobaria dinosaur from Africa greets visitors daily. It creates such a wow factor when walking into the space.
Marvel at the huge collection of birdlife
On the same floor as the dinosaur collection is the hall of birds, another one of my daughter’s favourite exhibits and one that definitely makes the Australian Museum worth visiting for us.
The stretch of glass cabinets features an incredible array of taxidermied birdlife, including an emu, a pelican, an assortment of owls, a kookaburra and some beautifully coloured parrots. My daughter absolutely loves birds at the moment, so this section of the museum is utter heaven for her.
Play and learn at the Burra kids area
The Burra Learning Area on level two makes the Australian Museum worth visiting for parents with kids needing stimulation. It is a large, spacious area with multiple stations set up for activities. Younger kids and babies will love the projected waterscape featuring the ‘burra’ eel amongst other aquatic animals and they can get right down on the floor to crawl around with the colourful animations. I’ve been taking my daughter to the Australian Museum since she was around five months old, and this is still her favourite activity there.
There’s a number of other things to do in the Burra Learning Area, such as play in replica canoes, learn the dances of the Pacific Islands and explore a small tunnel simulating what it is like under the water’s surface. There’s also a large secondary section of the area that is designed more for older kids where there are lots of school holiday learning activities put on by the museum. There’s also a babies playroom reserved for kids between 0-3 years old and the parents facilities at Burra are fantastically equipped with change tables and private feeding areas.
The Burra Learning Area is also right next to the Bilabong Watering Hole cafe, which is a great spot to stop for a babycino or a coffee and some lunch after a big play.
Explore Pasifika Culture in the new Wansolmoana exhibit
One of the Australian Museum’s newest exhibits is emulates the turquoise waters of the Pacific and celebrates the proud history and culture of the Pasifika people. This exhibition features a traditional canoe from Tokelau, a dependent territory of New Zealand that sits in the Pacific halfway between NZ and Hawaii.
The Wansolmoana exhibit also includes traditional dreass and headwear, artwork and tools from the people of the region. It is located on Level 2 between Burra and the Australian Animals section and is definitely worth a visit to learn something new.
Admire the Australian Museum’s huge collection of animals
The Australian Museum is worth visiting for people interested in learning about animals because there are over 400 animals on display in the Wild Planet section. Here, you can get up close and personal with Giraffes and elephants and see a Sperm Whale skeleton. There’s also lions and tigers and bears… oh my!
In this section there are also fossils, both extinct and current living fossils. If you’re interested in continuing your animal exploration, there’s also a section of the museum called ‘Surviving Australia’ dedicated to Australian fauna where you can see a crocodile statue, a Tasmanian Tiger and various other animals.
Where to eat at the Australian Museum?
There are several different options for dining at the Australian Museum. Parents will love the proximity of the Billabong Watering Hole cafe to the Burra Learning Area where coffee and sandwich style fare is available.
At Hintze Hall on the Upper Ground level there is also an espresso bar, but for the adults attending late in the day, the bar also serves wine and beer after 3pm. Hintze Hall is usually the entry point for any touring or ticketed exhibitions, so it is a nice place to have a drink after attending your exhibit and debrief.
Finally, for incredible views, Bistro Gadi is located on the top floor of the museum and provides a fancier lunch option than the cafes downstairs. Bistro Gadi is only open during the day times.
In summary: is the Australian Museum worth visiting?
Absolutely. I enjoy going to the Australian Museum by myself and exploring at my leisure, but I also love to take my daughter along. It is a fabulous indoor activity in the CBD for those colder winter months or rainy days when you need to get out of the house. The building itself is beautiful and the contents of the museum are interesting for all ages.
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