Exhibition - Whats The Show

Celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th Birthday With The Australian Museum

05/05/2026 Breaking News

The Australian Museum (AM) is marking the 100th birthday of its beloved Lifetime Patron, Sir David Attenborough, by offering free entry to the latest exhibition Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires across this weekend, from Friday 8 May to Sunday 10 May 2026.

In 2017, the Australian Museum awarded Attenborough its Lifetime Patron honour in recognition of his remarkable contributions to scientific communication and advocacy. He has supported the AM for more than 40 years, including touring the AM’s fossil collections, giving lectures to AM members and featuring the AM’s Lizard Island Research Station in his Great Barrier Reef documentary. In 2017, AM scientists also named the newly identified Tasmanian semi slug after him, Attenborougharion rubicundus, which he said might be the “most beautiful slug in the world”.

Director and CEO of the Australian Museum, Kim McKay AO said Sir David Attenborough had enjoyed a long career of sparking curiosity and awe in the natural world and revolutionised the public’s relationship with nature.

“Sir David Attenborough has spent his lifetime reminding us that our fate is tied to the fate of every creature on Earth, and he encourages us to understand just how remarkable the planet is. What better way to celebrate his 100th birthday than by making it possible for everyone to experience that same kind of wonder at the Australian Museum.

“Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires is exactly the kind of exhibition Attenborough would love, it’s surprising, scientifically rich, and full of creatures most people overlook and underestimate, and this weekend, it’s free,” McKay said.

The AM is also asking visitors to share their best wishes to one of the world’s most important environmental advocates either online via the AM’s website or in person with activity stations set up in the main hall for letter writing and picture drawing. The messages will be gathered up and set to him to enjoy.

Currently showing at the AM, Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires is a deep dive into the creatures that have fascinated and inspired humans for centuries. From vampire bats and leeches to mosquitoes and ticks, the exhibition explores the biology, folklore and ecological importance of animals that feed on blood, precisely the kind of encounter with the natural world that Sir David has championed throughout his extraordinary career.

Free entry to Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires runs from Friday 8 May to Sunday 10 May 2026. Visitors are encouraged to book online to secure their preferred timeslot. Bookings are available via the Australian Museum website.

Bookings are available via the https://australian.museum/exhibition/bloodsuckers/

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Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires Revealed At The Australian Museum

12/03/2026 Breaking News

Feel the fascination when Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires, a globally acclaimed, award-winning exhibition opens at the Australian Museum in time for the autumn school holidays. Join the waitlist today to skip the queue when this gripping exhibition opens on Thursday, 2 April.

Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires is an immersive exhibition featuring more than 100 objects, specimens, large-scale models, digital interactives and installations, offering an experience where science, pop culture and curiosity converge. The exhibition was developed by the Royal Ontario Museum.

Director and CEO of the Australian Museum, Ms Kim McKay AO, said the exhibition would bring visitors face to face with some of nature’s most sophisticated micro-predators, but with a new appreciation.

“Some of nature’s most extraordinary survivors often give people the creeps, but this new exhibition, Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires, showcases just how astonishing these species are. They have mastered the art of survival in ways that are impressive, demonstrating the power of evolution in action, playing critical roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

“By bringing this exhibition to Sydney, we’re inviting people to look beyond the misconceptions and engage with the science that shapes our world. Inspiring curiosity and deepening visitors’ understanding of biodiversity is at the heart of the Australian Museum’s mission,” Kim McKay said.

Featuring everything from vampire bats to black flies, plus oxpeckers, candiru catfish and medicinal leeches, the exhibition also explores bloodsuckers’ impact on literature, mythology and popular culture. And for the first time, Bloodsuckers will also highlight the special Australian bloodthirsty insects that can be found across the continent.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Visitors will journey through nine immersive sections exploring:
• The biology of blood and why it is such a powerful food source
• The evolution of bloodfeeding over millions of years
• How to live safely and confidently with bloodfeeding species

JOIN THE WAITLIST: With strong global attendance across the exhibition’s international tour and significant interest already building, visitors are encouraged to register for the Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires waitlist today to receive discounted tickets, priority booking access and exclusive updates.

The exhibition was named Overall Winner at the American Alliance of Museums 2019 Excellence in Exhibition Awards and received Merit Awards at the 2021 Society for Experiential Graphic Design Global Design Awards.

Join the waitlist now at: australian.museum/exhibition/bloodsuckers/

General Public tickets go on sale 18 March 2026.
Advanced adult ticket priced from $28
Advanced children’s (4-15 years old) tickets priced from $15
Exhibition opens 2 April 2026.

Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampire’s is proudly supported by hotel partner, Pullman Sydney Hyde Park.

Pullman Sydney Hyde Park is offering family-of-four accommodation packages for Australian Museum visitors, including tickets to Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires exhibition, buffet breakfast, overnight accommodation, and an activity pack for children. The hotel is only a three-minute walk from the Australian Museum.

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Good Food and Wine Show

22/07/202522/07/2025 Carmen Jenner🥉

Good Food & Wine Show Rating

★★★★★

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As the name suggests, there are endless artisanal indulgences to choose from at the 2025 Good Food & Wine Show. This year was no exception, and so much more. With over 200 stalls under the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (PCEC) vast roof from 16th to 18th July, the hardest part was deciding where to start.

You could follow your nose and join the anaconda lines at the Smelly Cheese Co for gooey raclette scraped over sourdough ($15). Or visit an old favourite with a wine tasting from the Margaret River Region. Not that there was anything wrong with any of these options.

However, I preferred stumbling upon the unexpected, like Wee Smoky, a smoke-filled whisky designed for mixing, and some elusive black garlic from Black Garlic & Co. Or a sample of Manuka Wood Smoked Olives from Kiwi Artisan, along with some black lime salt from Australian Black Limes, inspired by Middle Eastern black limes. A robust selection of wines from other Australian regions, such as the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale Wine Region, conjured up dreams of a decadent escape to South Australia.

But if you’re indecisive, the masterclasses offered at one of the tasting rooms or the Gin Lover’s Class (at $89 per person) from Sonos Sound Bar, were a good place to loosen up before embarking on the heavy decision-making.

If you were keen to up your culinary game, there was plenty of inspiration served up in the Kleenheat Kitchen as talented chefs cooked live, including James Cole-Brown (Head Chef from South Cottesloe’s Gibney), Brian Cole from Hearth Restaurant (The Ritz-Carlton, Perth) or BBQ-master duo from CheatMeats. The ultimate showman and celebrity chef, Miguel Maestre’s appearance in the Harvey Norman Kitchen was a delightfully raucous affair during his Fiesta En La Cocina demonstration.

The $185 admission into the VIP Lounge included lunch, premium wines, a spot at the Cellar Secrets Tasting Room and plenty of treats, as you’d expect from your temporary VIP status. But if that wasn’t in the budget, you could certainly get your money’s worth at the free wine and gourmet tasting booths, not to mention the free cooking demonstrations, with the general admission price of $49.95 or $79.95 multi-day pass with a tasting glass.

I couldn’t leave without a truffle and some Truffle Honey from Great Southern Truffles in WA’s Great Southern Region, a region abundant in premium produce that I now intend to visit more often.

The Good Food & Wine Show continues to spread the tasty joy in Brisbane (24th -26th October), at the Sydney Christmas Market (21st – 23rd November) and the Melbourne Christmas Market (5th – 7th December). With the 2026 dates announced for Melbourne (29th – 31st May) and Sydney (19th – 21st June), keep an eye out for Perth’s 2026 dates.

To book tickets to Good Food & Wine Show, please visit https://goodfoodshow.com.au/.

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Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor

16/07/202515/07/2025 Carmen Jenner🥉

Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor Rating

★★★★★

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Nothing can really prepare you for coming face to face with one of the most iconic collections in the world. You might already be familiar with the history of the Terracotta Warriors, but until you’re standing in front of them, do you realise that it’s their unique expressions, powerful poses, hairstyles, weapons and uniforms that begin to tell their extraordinary story.

The Terracotta Warriors, currently on display at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, are being exhibited together globally for the first time, including some recently excavated pieces.

In one of the boldest exhibitions to ever come to Perth, over 225 Chinese artefacts include musical instruments, vessels, jade objects and animal figures, including a bronze swan. The exhibition sheds light on China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuang, exploring his life, legacy and afterlife over seven distinct areas, as well as China’s military, societal hierarchy and daily life.

In one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, the Terracotta Warriors depict Qin Shihuang’s army of around 8,000, created to protect him in the afterlife for all eternity. How so many warriors remained a mystery until their discovery in 1974 is a miracle. Qin Shihuang’s monumental burial chamber remains sealed and preserved in a secret underworld. The tomb took over four decades and more than 700,000 workers to build one of the largest archaeological reserves, and records depict opulent palaces and flowing rivers.

The life-size figures vary in height according to their rank, alongside chariots and horses, and are often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World. It’s easy to lose hours delving deeper and examining the artefacts before viewing the main event of eight life-size terracotta warriors and a horse. Although eight might seem like a modest number out of 8,000 warriors, considering they are over 2,000 years old, imagine the undertaking involved to transport the priceless exhibition, including a kneeling archer and a statuesque armoured infantryman.

One thing that really struck me was the way the terracotta warriors were exhibited behind reflective glass, and depending on where you stood in the gallery, their eerie reflections seemed to multiply to the point that you felt as though you were being observed, not the other way around.

Complimented by an immersive multimedia experience, images of the warriors are depicted in coloured uniforms, as they were once painted in a multi-coloured spectacle.

Historians and history-lovers will no doubt take full advantage of the season passes, allowing for unlimited visits throughout the exhibition for $90. General admission is $30 for adults and $15 for kids. Special events include illuminated warriors at night, talks, performances, school holiday programs and cultural events, including the Guzheng Grand Ensemble on Sunday 19th October.

Even if you’re not into history, there’s no denying it’s marvellous that archaeologists are still making such significant discoveries.

The Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor exhibition is held at WA Museum Boola Bardip at the Perth Cultural Centre until Sunday, 22nd February 2026. Located in Northbridge, it seems only fitting to time your visit with dim sum in Chinatown.

To book tickets to Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor , please visit https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/boolabardip/terracotta-warriors-legacy-first-emperor.

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