Early Birds: Autism and sensory-friendly mornings
Visit the Museum in a reduced sensory, relaxed and supportive atmosphere.
© Australian Museum
Ages: All welcome!
Early Birds provides a reduced sensory, relaxed and supportive environment prior to the Museum opening to the public for the day. This can make visiting the Museum easier for autistic people and for those who have other access requirements, together with friends and families.
Features:
- A supportive environment with limited visitors prior to the Museum opening to the general public.
- “Ask a Scientist” and interactive touch tables.
- Lighting and sound will be adjusted for a low sensory experience within the rest of the Museum (these will return to daytime levels from 10am).
- A designated quiet area for those needing to take a break.
- A Visual Story with more details on what to expect.
- Staff trained in autism awareness and disability.
- Café open for an early morning beverage or snack.
- After 10am Early Birds are welcome to stay for the remainder of the day.
Important information:
Please note the exhibition sounds and lights will be restored after 10am, with the museum opening to the general public.
Download the Early Birds Visual Story
FAQs
Early Birds is designed for autistic people and those with sensory sensitivities. Features of this event may also benefit visitors with other access requirements and their families or friends. This event is for all ages.
Early Birds events align with the Australian Museum's Accessibility and Inclusion Action Plan 2023-2025 (AIAP) to break down barriers that hinder the full and effective participation of people with access requirements, and create a place where everyone can be inspired to explore and understand our natural and cultural worlds. Early Birds is a gateway event where visitors become familiar with the Australian Museum in a safe and supportive environment, in order to feel comfortable and confident visiting us again.
- Early Birds events have limited capacity to reduce crowds, queues and associated noise.
- Lighting and sound levels will be adjusted, where possible, throughout the Museum.
- Exhibitions will have lighting decreased and loud, unexpected sounds such as dinosaurs roaring, switched off.
- High sensory areas where lighting can't be increased due to conservation issues, will be indicated on the Museum map and in the Visual Story.
- Hand-dryers will be turned off and paper towel will be available in toilet facilities.
- PA announcements will be avoided from 8am-10am
- A designated quiet room will be available for use to take a break and reset before continuing on your Museum adventure!
- The first Early Birds event took place in January 2021. View blog here.
Yes. Early Birds are welcome to stay and enjoy the Museum for the remainder of the day, however, lighting and sound in exhibition spaces will return to previous levels along with other features.
Everything you would do during opening hours!
Early Birds events are scheduled to occur on Saturday mornings 8am – 10am, four times in a calendar year. Future dates will be announced soon.
To be the first to know about our next Early Birds event, subscribe to our eNewsletter.
There is currently no onsite parking at the Museum. We recommend parking at nearby car parks and metered parking in surrounding streets. Enacon Parking on Cathedral Street has 11 accessible spots and is a 3 minute walk to the Australian Museum. This route has no steps. For more information please refer to the Enacon Parking website.
For more information on parking and public transport options visit our parking and transport page.
There is also limited, unsupervised pram parking available in designated areas throughout the Museum.
Yes, the exhibition is wheelchair accessible, with lift access.
More information on the Museum’s accessibility features can be found here.
Prams are not allowed inside the exhibition space. There is limited, unsupervised pram parking available in designated areas throughout the Museum.
