Australian Museum’s Future Now Exhibition Provides Inspiration for a More Sustainable 2025

20 December 2024, Sydney: Just in time for the summer school holidays, the Future Now exhibition opens at the Australian Museum (AM) on Saturday 21 December 2024. This free exhibition shares how Australian homes, towns and cities can be more sustainable with up-to-date renewable technology, First Nations knowledge, and community collaboration.

Following a two-year tour across Stockland’s New South Wales and Queensland Town Centres reaching more than three million visitors, the Future Now exhibit includes a new and inspiring Future Now Makers digital knowledge-sharing series, which highlights innovative changemakers from across Australia who are working towards a better future from a grassroots level.

Future Now's crowd-favourites also remain, such as the three dioramas: Clever Homes, Smart Towns and Caring for our Country, alongside the much-loved interactive elements from the AM’s SPARK exhibition, including the seaweed cow installation, a prototype silicone solar cell, and mini-models which depict real spaces such as an urban farm in the Blue Mountains, and the Banksia House sustainable house and garden.

Director and CEO, Australian Museum, Kim McKay AO, said Future Now is part of the AM’s commitment to transforming the conversation around climate change.

“As a leader in natural history and scientific research, the AM is in a position to champion action on climate change, and we are leading in this space through our Climate Solutions Centre, the cutting edge science happening at the Australian Museum Research Institute and Lizard Island Research Station, exhibitions like Future Now, and through our public programs like the annual Talbot Oration,” McKay said.

Dr Jenny Newell, Curator, Climate Change Projects at the Australian Museum, said the AM is pleased to open the expanded Future Now exhibition in Sydney in time for the summer holidays.

"We're really proud of the 'Future Now' exhibition - our aim is to demonstrate how the choices we make now create our future. The models are of ideal places to live, and they communicate ideas about good choices for energy, food production, and how we can look after nature and our communities well, which are particularly timely to consider as we head into the new year," Dr Newell said.

A program of events will also be taking place during the Future Now exhibition, including free sustainability activities, talks and workshops open to all visitors.

The exhibition will be open on the Upper Ground level of the AM from Saturday 21 December 2024 through to Sunday 13 April 2025 and is included with free General Admission to the AM.

Learn more about the AM’s commitment to sustainability here: https://australian.museum/learn/sustainability/

ENDS

Event details

• What: Future Now exhibition at the Australian Museum
• When: Saturday 21 December 2024 – Sunday 13 April 2025
• Where: Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney NSW 2010
• Included with FREE General Admission, no tickets required
• Editor’s note: Imagery, footage, background information here: Media Assets
• Social Media: Facebook: @australianmuseum; Instagram: @australianmuseum; Twitter: @austmus / Hashtags: #AustralianMuseum

About the Australian Museum

The Australian Museum (AM) was founded in 1827 and is the nation’s first museum. It is internationally recognised as a natural science and culture institution focused on Australia and the Pacific. The AM’s mission is to ignite wonder, inspire debate and drive change. The AM’s vision is to be a leading voice for the richness of life, the Earth and culture in Australia and the Pacific. The AM commits to transforming the conversation around climate change, the environment and wildlife conservation; to being a strong advocate for First Nations cultures; and to continuing to develop world-leading science, collections, exhibitions and education programs. With 22 million objects and specimens and the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI), the AM is not only a dynamic source of reliable scientific information on some of the most pressing environmental and social challenges facing our region, but also an important site of cultural exchange and learning.

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