Terms of Entry

Welcome to the Australian Museum (AM) – enjoy your visit with us. To ensure the safety and security of all our visitors and staff and to protect our valuable collections, we ask that you observe the following terms of entry:

1. Additional terms of entry due to COVID-19

We encourage you to refer back to these Terms regularly as they are updated in line with NSW Health and other Government directives (Orders) in response to the changing COVID-19 situation.

You must wear a face mask at the AM

From 5PM Thursday 6 May 2021, all visitors over 12 years of age must wear a fitted face mask when inside the AM to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community, unless you have a health condition which makes wearing a fitted face covering unsuitable. Please bring your own masks. Masks are also recommended for younger visitors where practicable.

While inside the AM, please wear your face mask at all times unless:

• you are eating or drinking
• you are communicating with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing
• you are asked by AM staff or Security to remove your face mask to ascertain your identity
• there is an emergency situation which makes the wearing of your face mask a hinderance to safety

Please resume wearing your face mask as soon as these events have passed. 

Think about your visit

In line with NSW Health Orders, please do not enter the AM if you or someone in your party:

• is feeling unwell in any way
• is experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, a sore throat or fatigue
• has been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19
• has visited a known COVID-19 case location during the relevant time and have been instructed to get tested and self-isolate
• is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test or has returned a positive result
• have come from overseas and is required by law to quarantine themselves.

You may be denied entry in certain circumstances

The AM reserves the right to deny entry to you and members of your party if:

• anyone fails to provide their personal information for Contact Tracing purposes (your personal information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy)
• In the opinion of AM staff or Security, any member of your party appears to have symptoms that may place other people at risk or pose a danger to public health.

Physical distancing must be observed

While inside the AM, please stay at least 1.5m apart from other groups and stand on the designated markers when queuing. You must follow the directions of AM staff and Security.

Cloaking services have been suspended for the time being

Until further notice, no cloaking facilities are available at the AM. Please do not bring bags larger than A4 size, long umbrellas or bulky items to the AM as you may be denied entry.

2. While in the AM you:

• Accept that you enter the AM at your own risk and acknowledge that, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the AM is not responsible for any loss, damage, harm or injury arising from your entry to the premises.
• Must comply with any direction from AM staff or Security.
• Must follow instructional signage regarding consumption of food and drink, hygiene, capacity limits, directional flow and photography.
• Must abide by safety signage in the AM and ensure that equipment and furniture provided for visitor comfort and convenience is used only for its intended and ordinary purpose.
• Must ensure children under 16 years of age are accompanied by an adult and are actively supervised at all times.
• Must conduct yourself, and ensure any children in your care similarly conduct themselves, in a manner which, in the reasonable opinion of the AM, does not interfere with, disrupt or offend other persons or engages in inappropriate behaviour which may result in injury to themselves or others.
• Must cloak large bags (bigger than A4 paper size), long umbrellas, bulky equipment and any other items as directed by AM staff or Security.*
• Must keep your strollers, pushchairs and buggies with you or park them in the dedicated parking areas or collapse them for cloaking.*
• Must wear appropriate clothing and footwear at all times.

* Cloaking service suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic

3. Safety and security

The AM reserves the right to:

• Exclude or remove any person from any building, or part of any building or site for any reason.
• Visually or physically inspect any bag or object, while you are on AM premises – this may require your assistance to move or remove items from the bag to facilitate our inspection.
• Prohibit any other personal items it deems necessary.
• The AM operates Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras throughout AM premises.

4. Prohibited items may not be brought into the AM

Prohibited items are:

• Any animal (other than an assistance animal accredited under a State or Territory law to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effects of disability; or that is accredited by an animal training organisation).
• Any kind of real or toy weapon, firearms or other items or substances which the AM considers to be dangerous.
• Bicycles, scooters, balance bikes, tripods, selfie-sticks, aerosol containers, laser pointers, rolled prints/posters, metal tip umbrellas, balloons and drones are not permitted.
• Any item which, at the discretion of AM Security, is considered capable of being used to cause damage to our collections or conceal a collection object for removal.

5. Protecting our collections – things you must not do inside the AM:

• Use any photographic, video or audio recording equipment in areas where this has been restricted.
• Use professional photography equipment, including flashes, without the prior approval of the AM.
• Touch, or in any other way, interfere with collection objects or displays unless indicated.
• Run in galleries, climb exhibits or use AM furniture for anything other than its intended use.
• Smoke anywhere on AM premises.
• Eat or drink (including having containers of food or drink) in display areas and galleries or other places where this is restricted. Food and drink may only be consumed in designated spaces within the AM.

6. Recordings inside the AM for personal use and digital engagement

In areas where photography is permitted, please ensure that you:

• Do not make any recording or take any identifiable photograph of any person without the permission of that person or their legal guardian.
• Do not sell, license or otherwise publish, disseminate or reproduce (or permit such), whether in whole or in part, any images or recordings taken inside the AM for commercial purposes without the AM’s prior express agreement.
• Notwithstanding the above, if you upload, publish or disseminate any user generated content taken on AM premises (including, without limitation, photographs, video recordings, data recordings or sound recordings) to any digital media platform, including social media (User Generated Content), you consent to the commercial exploitation, throughout the world, of that User Generated Content by any means (including, without limitation, by re-sharing or re-posting such content) by the Australian Museum and our commercial and other partners without compensation on a perpetual, irrevocable and worldwide basis.

7. Film crews and images

From time to time, the AM or its designated crew, may set up to film, record or photograph (Images) inside the AM. Areas subject to filming will have signage posted and you may be asked to sign a consent form for you, or any children in your party, where your image is recognisable.

Notwithstanding any written consent provided, by entering the AM premises you consent to and authorise the AM to take Images, use, reproduce and disseminate them via any means in any context or for any purpose without further authorisation by, or compensation or attribution to you. All Images are the sole property of the AM or its licensees and by entering AM premises you release the AM from liability arising on account of such usage.

8. Ticketed exhibitions and events

You must have a valid ticket or pass to enter ticketed exhibitions or events at the AM. Tickets are only valid if purchased from the Australian Museum or an authorised agent and cannot be resold for a premium. The AM reserves the right to exclude you from a ticketed exhibition or event where the ticket breaches the Ticket Terms.

9. Accessibility

The AM is committed to making its collections and exhibits accessible through various public exhibitions and online.

We recommend that visitors with access requirements visit our website for details on accessible and inclusive programs and facilities to help plan your visit and/or ask at our front reception desk for details.

10. Personal information

Where you provide your personal information to the AM (including your image on CCTV), it is collected in accordance with our Privacy Policy.