Sydney's Australian Museum will reopen to the public on November 28 after a 15-month, $57.5 million building transformation that has significantly increased public and exhibition spaces within the historic complex.
And to celebrate, general admission will be free.
In its most extensive renovation in decades, Australia's first museum, founded in 1827, added more than 3000 sq m of new public space reclaimed from back-of-house areas.
The transformation significantly expands the touring exhibition hall from 850 sq m to 1500 sq m, allowing the museum to host one major international travelling exhibition or two smaller exhibitions at the same time.
There is also a new museum shop, a second cafe, an expanded members lounge, cloaking and new amenities.
The first exhibition to enter the new blockbuster gallery is Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family, an update on one of the museum's most popular exhibitions, which has been touring the US and Europe for the past five years. In addition, the popular Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition will also return to the Grand Hall exhibition space in time for reopening.
"Without doubt, the heart of the museum is the new Grand Hall, which is the length of three tennis courts, said museum director and chief executive Kim McKay.
"Now that general admission is free, it will become a popular meeting space and new after-hours event space for Sydney.
"Like a public square, we will be able to host music and performances as well as provide a place to relax and contemplate, discuss and debate, enjoy a coffee and experience an exhibition."
Hinting there's still more to come, Ms McKay said within the next 12 months, two new galleries will open and there are plans to upgrade and expand other existing galleries as well.
"The Australian Museum has an extraordinary collection of over 21.9 million objects and specimens, which is the largest in the southern hemisphere. Project Discover is just the first step - we want to continue to evolve our galleries and show more of this inspiring collection to the public," she said.
While general admission to the new-look Australian Museum will be free, visitors will be able to buy tickets to attend major international exhibitions, including Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family.
This exhibition focuses on the king of the dinosaurs, T.rex, and its eclectic Tyrannosaur family. It features a colossal collection of skeletons, skulls, fossil eggs and even fossilised dinosaur dung, revealing the stories and science behind these astonishing carnivores.
It uses the latest technology including immersive projections, animation and artificial intelligence to help explain how palaeontology works, how the Earth changes over time, what evolution is and how sudden environmental devastation can cause even the most dominant species to go extinct.
To register for first-release tickets ($20/$16/$10), click here.
This year's Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition explores the changing nature of regional ecology and the impacts of climate change. As a special treat for visitors, admission will be free upon entry to the museum.
