Australian Museum opened in 1857

The Australian Museum has occupied the current site since it opened to the public in 1857. The extended and enlarged complex of sandstone buildings now provide its principal exhibition, administrative and research accommodation.

Australia's oldest museum, it has a number of top class standing exhibitions as well as ever changing special exhibitions and events. The standing exhibition includes:

• Indigenous Australian: a tribute to the multicultural nature of Indigenous Australia;
• Skeletons: Framework for Survival: an exhibition of skeletons from mammal, fish, birds, reptiles and insects;
• Birds: Australian birds in all their varieties of colour, shape and size;
• Insects: displays of the life cycles of thousands of insects;
• Mineral Collections: an awesome collection of more than 850 mineral specimens;
• More Than Dinosaurs: a display of dinosaurs and Australia's ancient mega fauna; and
• Biodiversity: Life Supporting Life: explores the rich variety of life in Australia.

The exhibitions are spread over three floors. Enjoy the open architecture of the building as you walk from one exhibition to the next. Make sure you pick up the Highlights Self-Guided Tour brochure to help find your way around the Museum. Allow several hours to see it all and that's not in the detail it deserves. Make sure you spend some time in the Search & Discovery room. Here the Museum puts their research facilities in the hands of those with an insatiable curiosity.

And if you have children under five they will love Kids' Island where they can learn about our natural environment.

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