What's on

Explore humanity's stories through our on-site exhibitions, displays, events and more.

Looking to explore the museum from your sofa? We are committed to expanding our offering beyond the museum's walls, so keep an eye out for digital resources, virtual exhibitions and more within these pages, or follow us on social media for much more!

Exhibitions

Details of upcoming exhibitions to be announced.

Temporary displays

Contemporary Gweagal spears by Rod Mason

Maudslay Gallery

In dialogue with the new display of Kamay spears now open at the Chau Chak Wing Museum in Sydney, a new display is now open at MAA of three contemporary spears, made by Senior Elder of the Gweagla Clan, Dharawal Nation, Rod Mason.

Permanent displays

People & Stuff: A Subversive Collaboration

Andrews Gallery

Staff, academics, and visitors have been adding their graffiti contributions to our large-scale collaborative painting, representing their understanding of the collections, how they got here, and what they mean to them.

A plaster cast of a Maya carving depicting two figures. The wall around it is painted green onto which graffiti images have been added including a brightly coloured bird, a skeleton wearing a large hat and an owl with a red line over its eyes.

This vibrant project seeks to map relationships between the past, ourselves, artefacts and places.

The Sensational Museum at MAA

Andrews Gallery

A child's hands touch a replica of a terracotta vessel consisting of two globular chambers with a spout in the centre and a moulded parrot's head at one end.

We are working with a small team of people with lived experiences of disability to develop a multi-sensory display as part of The Sensational Museum project.

Pacific Currents: New Displays from Oceania in the World Anthropology Gallery

Pacific Currents showcases MAA’s exceptional and wide-ranging Oceanic collections, which originate from throughout the Pacific and date from the late 18th century to the present day.

Events and workshops

Twilight at the Museums

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

18 February 2026, 4:30pm - 7:30pm

Bring a torch, grab a trail, and explore the museum galleries after dark!

Lunar New Year Activities

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

21 February 2026, 10:00am - 12:00pm and 1:00pm - 3:00pm

A paper cut artwork featuring a black horse and birds on a red background.

Join us for drop-in craft activities to celebrate the start of the Year of the Horse. We will be running a morning session and an afternoon session.

Sound Bath

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

26 February and 26 March 2026, 5:45 - 7:00pm

A statue of a seated Buddha in the museum galleries.

Find quiet as you slow down towards the end of your busy day and focus on your positive wellbeing through guided meditation in the galleries

Von Hügel Lecture 2025-2026: Pasifika Styles and other Pacific Museum Stories

The Queen's Lecture Theatre, Emmanuel College

5 March 2026, 5:00pm - 6:00pm

A performance in the museum galleries by a Maori group in front of a packed audience. The women wear black whilst the men are bare chested and wearing a kilt-like garment made from plant fibres.

Join Professor Wonu Veys for the Friends of MAA's annual Von Hügel Lecture as she discusses the diversification of Pacific stories in European museums and proposes possible pathways for the future. This is a friends only event, so for further information about this lecture and how to join visit our Become a Friend of MAA page.