Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru
Come face-to-face with one of the most remarkable gold collections to ever tour the globe in the immersive exhibition, Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru and add-on VR experience.
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Blockbuster exhibition
On now until 23 February 2025 -
Ancient Peruvian treasures
Discover over 130 priceless ancient Andean artefacts -
VR experience
Enhance your visit with a thrilling virtual reality adventure
Embark on an incredible journey back thousands of years with Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru. This extraordinary multi-sensory experience features stunning artefacts and immersive displays that bring the grandeur of Peru’s fascinating history to life.
*Members free ticket offer T&Cs: Please book in advance. Tickets are only available for Members listed on your Membership and must be redeemed in one transaction. Please note, Memberships that expire before 1 December 2024 will not be eligible for this exciting ticket offer, please ensure you renew your Membership before this date to qualify for free tickets.
Uncover the mysteries of ancient Peru
Explore the rich heritage of some of the world’s most captivating civilisations at the Australian Museum’s Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition. Using a combination of state-of-the-art projections, video and priceless artefacts, this immersive experience offers an unparalleled glimpse into the opulent history of the Andean people.
Come face to face with over 130 ancient artefacts including exquisite jewellery, funerary objects from royal tombs and one of the most impressive gold collections to tour the globe. These priceless treasures illuminate the artistic brilliance and cultural sophistication of ancient Peru, offering fascinating insights into the daily lives, spiritual beliefs and extraordinary achievements of these ancient civilisations.
Marvel at the wonders of legendary Machu Picchu, the pinnacle of Inca engineering. You’ll unravel the mysteries of how ancient Peruvian societies flourished in harmony with the challenging environment and learn why their innovations continue to inspire awe today.
A small side area showcases erotic ceramic artefacts that illustrate the Andean fascination with natural life cycles, birth and death.
Take home the magic of ancient Peru with the souvenir book for Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru. Featuring breathtaking photography and in-depth narrative about the artefacts on display, it’s the perfect keepsake to relive your journey through the legendary empires of ancient Peru.
Don’t miss out on your chance to see these stunning exhibits first-hand. Exclusive to the Australian Museum, the exhibition is in Australia for a limited time only.
Ticket Type | Peak (Friday-Sunday/Holidays and Peak Demand) | Off-Peak |
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Adult (16+ years) | $42.50 | $37.50 |
Concession | $37.50 | $33.50 |
Child (4-15 years) | $23 | $20.00 |
Child (0-3 years) | FREE | FREE |
Family (2 Adults + 2 Children or 1 Adult + 3 Children) | $110 | $94 |
Adult Groups (10+) | NA | $32.50 |
School Groups | NA | $15 |
Audio Guide | $9 | $9 |
Virtual Reality Experience | $22 | $22 |
Souvenir Book | $22 | $22 |
Take a virtual adventure to Machu Picchu
For an add-on fee, experience a cutting-edge virtual reality visit to the Incan city, Machu Picchu, where you’ll see, hear and feel the mysterious city in the sky.
Using ground-breaking VR and 360-degree motion chairs, take part in an astonishing expedition to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, high in the forests of the Andean mountains, without leaving Sydney.
Win a $20,000 adventure of a lifetime to Peru!
Enter the Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition competition for your chance to win a $20,000 once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to Peru with Adventure World and LATAM Airlines.
Enter nowJourney to Peru: exclusive conversations and experiences
Journey deep into Peru and immerse yourself in ancient Andean cultures in this series of exclusive conversations, experiences and events that celebrate the Golden Empires of Peru.
Plan your visit
Do you have questions about the exhibition? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions here.
Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is presented in partnership with Neon, Museo Larco and the Ministry of Culture of Peru.
Major Partner
Airline Partner
Hotel Partner
Supporting Partners
FAQs
Tickets
All prices are listed above. All prices include GST but booking fees apply.
Purchase your tickets now at Fever.
AM Members get their first entry free to the exhibition for each person registered on their Membership. Subsequent visits are at full price. There is no Members discount for VR or the Audio Guide.
Do not buy tickets from un-authorised re-sellers. You risk buying fraudulent or invalid tickets.
Tickets will be available to buy at the door, but we encourage you to buy tickets online to ensure that you secure your preferred session time. It is expected that popular sessions will sell out.
AM Members can book their tickets here.
AM Members get their first entry free to the exhibition for each person registered on their Membership. Subsequent visits are at full price. There is no Members discount for VR or the Audio Guide.
Please email members@australian.museum with your name and member number if you have any issues.
Yes, Companion Cards are accepted. Companion Cardholders are admitted free with a fully paid ticket (concession or otherwise). There is no need to book a ticket but please ensure you have your Companion Card upon arrival.
If you would like more information, please contact Fever directly by downloading their app or visiting their website.
Subject to availability, changes of date and/or time are permitted up to 48 hours before the start time of your experience.
In such case, please email hello@feverup.com or contact the online ticketing provider Fever through their website. If you have downloaded the FeverUp app you can also reschedule your own tickets. Please allow 24 hours for Fever to respond to your enquiry. Refunds are not allowed, except as required under Australian Consumer Law. For more information, you can consult the Fever T&Cs.
AM Members can change the date/time of their ticket subject to availability by up to 48 hours before the start time of your experience by emailing members@australian.museum with your name and member number.
The age limit for children's tickets is 15 years and under. Children ages 0-3 are free, but still require a ticket.
Please be aware that the exhibition contains five ceramic artefacts depicting sexual acts and adult themes. These items are important to understanding ancient belief systems and the continuity between the living and the dead, as well as fertility and regeneration.
Children four years and over will be charged entry to Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru.
Please be aware that the exhibition contains five ceramic artefacts depicting sexual acts and adult themes. These items are important to understanding ancient belief systems and the continuity between the living and the dead, as well as fertility and regeneration.
Due to current requirements, Fever is unable to process more than ten people through one transaction – so if you need tickets for more than ten, please contact the Australian Museum for a group visit: group.bookings@australian.museum.
Tickets will be attached to an email you will receive a few days prior to your admission date. There is no need to print your tickets, as they can be scanned directly off your phone.
Planning your visit
We recommend arriving 15 minutes prior to your session start time, to ensure you don’t miss out on your session.
It takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour and a half to journey through the exhibition.
There is no time limit on how long you can spend in the exhibition.
Yes, although no flash or commercial photography is allowed.
Food and beverages are not permitted in our galleries or exhibition spaces to ensure the preservation of our important collections. This includes water bottles.
Our cloaking room is located on Lower Ground (LG) and is open during business hours. The AM reserves the right to close the cloakroom without notice.
Please do not bring bags larger than A3 size, carry-on luggage, wheeled shopping carts, long umbrellas, scooters, balance bikes, tripods, selfie sticks or bulky items to the AM as you may be denied entry.
For more information on prohibited items, please refer to our Terms of Entry.
Please ensure items are collected from the cloakroom ten minutes before closing.
Information on parking and public transport can be found here.
Accessibility
Due to space limitations, potential crowding and valuable displays, prams are not suitable for entry into the exhibition. Pram Parking is available in designated areas throughout the Museum. We understand there may be extenuating circumstances for some of our visitors and we may be able to accommodate this on a case-by-case basis during times of low visitation. Please contact our visitor services team when you arrive for guidance.
More information on the Museum’s accessibility features can be found here.
The Australian Museum provides access to all areas of the Museum for people in wheelchairs and walkers, including inside the Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition.
The main entrance via Museum Walk ramp from College Street is wheelchair accessible.
More information on the Museum’s accessibility features can be found here: https://australian.museum/visit/accessibility-and-inclusion.
For information about how to enter the Australian Museum is located here: https://australian.museum/visit/access.
Please let us know if you have any specific questions we can help with or feel free to send us a private message.
The Australian Museum provides access to all areas of the Museum for people in wheelchairs and walkers, including inside the Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition.
We also have four wheelchairs (not electronic), available for visitors for free. We recommend calling the front desk on 02 9320 6000 before your visit so our Front of House team can reserve one for you.
The signage is designed to be accessible, printed in a large, legible font at a height which can be read by visitors attending in wheelchairs. We also have available an accessible audio descriptor, or the exhibition’s audio tour which might also be useful as an alternative.
More information on the Museum’s accessibility features can be found here: https://australian.museum/visit/accessibility-and-inclusion/.
Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is a high-sensory exhibition as we expect it to be busy and there will be multimedia activities throughout with sound. However, our programs team have developed sensory-friendly sessions for the Early Birds event.
Early Birds: Autism and sensory-friendly mornings provides a reduced sensory, relaxed and supportive environment prior to the Australian 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.
Important information about the exhibition:
- The exhibition will be adjusted with reduced capacity.
- Exhibition sounds and lights will be restored at 9:50am, with the Museum opening to the general public at 10am.
- Additional charges apply for the exhibition and VR experience.
- We encourage pre-booking your exhibition and VR as ticket availability cannot be guaranteed on the day.
Audio guide
The audio guide is available for $9 to book online when you purchase your tickets, or on the day.
Please ensure to bring your own mobile device and headphones to listen to the audio guide. It will be accessible through a QR code / URL weblink to connect to your own individual mobile devices.
The audio guide will be available in English.
- Find the email which has the audio tour link.
- The audio tour link is connected to your order. Please share the email with others on your order that need access.
- When attending the exhibition, in the exhibition space, attendees can open the email on their smartphone and follow the instructions to access the audio tour.
- Everyone can independently do the audio tour in the exhibition at their leisure.
VR experience
For an add-on fee, you can also experience the first-ever virtual reality "fly-through" of the Incan city, Machu Picchu, where you’ll be transported across the globe to see, hear and feel the mysterious city in the sky.
Using ground-breaking VR, 360-degree motion chairs and cutting-edge drone footage, you can take part in an astonishing expedition to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, high in the forests of the Andean mountains, without leaving Sydney.
Your VR experience will be booked prior to your exhibition time, so please start with the VR experience.
The Australian Museum is offering the VR experience for your recreational enjoyment and you participate at your own risk.
Parental discretion is advised for children under the age of 8. Children under the age of 12 must be supervised by an adult.
VR experiences are not recommended for people with certain health conditions, including:
- Pacemaker or other implanted medical device
- Severe motion sickness or vertigo
- Fear of enclosed spaces
- Epilepsy
VR experiences can cause motion sickness, nausea, disorientation and dizziness in some people.
If you experience any symptoms during the VR experience, please discontinue the VR experience and notify an AM staff member.
Please seek medical advice if you have a medical condition and have questions or concerns about the suitability of participating in a VR experience.
The film runs for approximately ten minutes. Some people may find it uncomfortable to sit for that length of time wearing VR headsets.
By booking tickets, you agree to assume the risks associated with the VR experience on behalf of yourself and any other person who will be participating in the VR experience (including any child of whom you are the parent or guardian) and acknowledge that you have read and understand this ‘risk warning’ prior to booking.
If you have a big difference in binocular vision, or a high degree of myopia, astigmatism or farsightedness, it is suggested that you wear glasses to correct your eyesight when using the VR product.
Some people find that the experience is better with their glasses off, depending on your lens prescription. There will be time to adjust and get comfortable before the session begins.
Please consult with your doctor and device manufacturer before using medical devices with VR headsets.
VR experiences are not recommended for people with the following conditions: pacemaker or other implanted medical devices, epilepsy, severe motion sickness or vertigo, fear of enclosed spaces, and other medical conditions which may be aggravated by this virtual reality experience. Please consult your doctor for advice on whether this experience is appropriate for you.
If you are pregnant or have a medical condition, please seek medical advice before any VR experience, particularly if have questions or concerns about the suitability of participating.
VR experiences can cause motion sickness, nausea, disorientation and dizziness in some people.
If you experience any symptoms during the VR experience, please discontinue the VR experience and notify an AM staff member.
The film runs for approximately ten minutes. Some people may find it uncomfortable to sit for that length of time wearing VR headsets.
By booking tickets, you agree to assume the risks associated with the VR experience on behalf of yourself and any other person who will be participating in the VR experience (including any child of whom you are the parent or guardian) and acknowledge that you have read and understand this ‘risk warning’ prior to booking.
The VR experience is wheelchair accessible.
The VR video is available in English only.
Please seek medical advice if you have a medical condition and have questions or concerns about the suitability of participating in a VR experience.
The VR product provides an immersive virtual content experience, and certain types of content may cause discomfort.
VR experiences can cause motion sickness, nausea, disorientation and dizziness in some people.
If you experience any symptoms during the VR experience, please discontinue the VR experience and notify an AM staff member.
The film runs for approximately ten minutes. Some people may find it uncomfortable to sit for that length of time wearing VR headsets.
Stop use immediately and seek medical treatment if the following symptoms occur:
- seizures, loss of consciousness, convulsions, involuntary movements, direction disorders, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness or fatigue
- eye pain or discomfort, eye strain, eye convulsions or visual abnormalities (such as hallucinations, ambiguity or diplopia)
- skin itching, eczema, swelling, irritation or other discomfort
- excessive sweating, impaired balance, impaired hand-eye coordination or other similar motor symptoms.
You must not drive, operate machines or participate in activities that may have potentially serious consequences before recovering from the above symptoms.