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Museums & Landmarks

Australian Museum

📍 Darlinghurst, NSW

★4.6(13,772 Google reviews)💰Free👶All ages

The Australian Museum offers free general admission with permanent dinosaur exhibitions, the interactive Burra learning area on level 2 (best for under-9s), First Nations culture displays, and a family cafe.

✓ Free admission✓ Interactive kids area✓ Dinosaur exhibits✓ First Nations culture✓ Arrive early

🏆 Family Action Verdict

Best for families with children aged 3–12 who enjoy animals, dinosaurs, and hands-on learning. The Burra area on level 2 holds younger kids attention longest. Families sensitive to confronting displays should preview the T-Rex dissection model before bringing anxious toddlers.

ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go

💡Arrive when doors open on weekends to have exhibits to yourselves before crowds build
⏰Re-entry is free throughout the day — take a break outside and return later
🎟️Head straight to level 2 for dinosaurs and the Burra interactive kids area
🚗Public transport drops you at the front entrance — buses stop directly outside

💬 What Families Are Saying

View all reviews →
4.6
★★★★★

13,772 Google reviews

5★
10,193
4★
2,601
3★
655
2★
176
1★
147

G Reviews from Google

Z

z3173054

a month ago

★★★★★

“Free admission, huge floor for kids to play and learn all thing animals. A cafe is right next to the kids area and there is pram parking and parents room. Very clean. Heaps of tired parents here when I went on the weekend. The bus stop is right at the front. If you drive, there is limited street parking for $8.40 per hour on the weekends. The aquatic center is right next door so if planned properly this can be a day out in the city for the family. The museum is huge with dinosaurs and animal displays. I found the cut open T. rex a bit too confronting for toddlers. The signage could be improved - took us a while to find the dinosaur.”

S

Sarah A.

3 months ago

★★★★★

“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!”

G

Gracelin Chan

4 months ago

★★★★★

“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.”

📊 Commonly mentioned in Google reviews

Based on Google review tags

Dinosaurs

773 reviews

Free entry

704 reviews

Natural history

136 reviews

Interactive exhibits

80 reviews

Free museum

67 reviews

Overview

The Australian Museum anchors Sydney cultural precinct with free general admission covering dinosaurs, Surviving Australia displays, and First Nations culture. The Burra interactive zone on level 2 is the standout for children under nine — immersive and hands-on throughout. A dissected T-Rex model surprises adults and delights older kids. School holiday workshops and Waranara guided tours add structured programming.

🕐 Opening Hours

Monday10:00 – 17:00
Tuesday10:00 – 17:00
Wednesday10:00 – 17:00
Thursday10:00 – 17:00
Friday10:00 – 17:00
Saturday10:00 – 17:00
Sunday10:00 – 17:00

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