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Special exhibition
Now on until 25 April 2023 -
Immersive experience
Explore 360 degree experience and see over ten life-sized shark models
For 450 million years they’ve dominated Earth’s oceans.
Today, their existence has never been under more threat.
Submerge yourself in the world of Sharks! In this immersive blockbuster exhibition created by Australian Museum experts, visitors will go back in time to meet sharks’ ancient ancestors, come face-to-face with an 8m-long Whale Shark, and uncover their extraordinary adaptations with interactive displays, touchable specimens and objects from the AM collections. With cultural connections reaching back countless generations, visitors will discover how First Nations’ and Pasifika Peoples’ knowledge of sharks can help us protect them.
With rising temperatures, industrial fishing and oceans choked by pollution, sharks are in great danger. Our attitudes and our actions will decide the fate of these ancient survivors – do you dare to dive in?
Come on in, the water’s fine.
You’ll see...
- Life-size shark models ranging from 50cm Epaulette Shark to the 8m Whale Shark,
- Augmented reality interactives where you can play with a Whale Shark or explore the contents of a shark’s stomach,
- Real, touchable shark specimens from the Australian Museum collection,
- Plenty of jaw-some stuff for kids and families!
Experience this brand-new exhibition first in Sydney before it tours the world!
For your chance to win a trip for two to see the vibrant Kimberley wilderness, enter the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Sharks competition.
Visitors (including AM Members with free tickets) are advised to pre-book their preferred session time in advance, to avoid disappointment.
| Ticket type | Price* |
|---|---|
| Adult | $29 |
| Child (3-15 years) | $17.50 |
| Family (admits 4) 2A+2C / 1A+3C | $76 |
| Concession | $23 |
| Members |
50% off First visit FREE |
*Ticketek booking fees apply
Exhibition highlights
Extraordinary adaptations
In your mouth, you have 16 teeth in one neat row. The White Shark has 300 teeth in five rows. Not so great for seals or dugongs, but very helpful to the shark, which can easily replace teeth lost while hunting and eating.
And do you know about sharks’ amazing skin? It’s not skin at all – they are covered in tiny denticles, which are closer to teeth than anything else! Sharks wear this suit of armour to protect themselves, and the hydrodynamic design makes them super fast.
You’ll see:
- The biggest fish – a life size model of a Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus), which can grow to up to 16m
- The fastest shark – a rearticulated skeleton of the Shortfin Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) which can reach speeds of up to 70km/hour and jump as high as 9m out of the water
- A wet specimen of the third-smallest shark – the Moller’s Lanternshark (Etmopterus molleri), reaching just 46cm long
Evolution
Four hundred and fifty million years ago, animals with a skeleton made from bone (bony vertebrates), and animals with a skeleton made from cartilage (cartilaginous vertebrates), separated for the first time. The bony vertebrates went on to become 90% of the planet’s animals – fishes, birds, mammals and humans. The cartilaginous vertebrates became sharks, chimeras and stingrays. Did you know sharks have survived five global mass extinctions since then?
You’ll see:
- A life size model of the 270-million-year-old Helicoprion, known as the buzzsaw shark
- Touchable fossils from the AM Palaeontology Collection
Image credit: Illustration of Akmonistion, an extinct shark that lived in the Early Carboniferous period. © Steve Wright.
Interactive experiences
The best way to learn about sharks is by dipping your toe into the water!
Interactive exhibits include:
- See with 360-degree Hammerhead vision: Having eyes at each end of the ‘hammer’ means they have 360° vision – they can see above and below them.
- Enter the Shark Tank: Dive into the diverse world of sharks in this digital, interactive, underwater vortex.
- What’s inside a Tiger Shark’s stomach? Lift the lid to find out. They do get very hungry...
- What sort of shark are you? Take our shark personality test to find out what kind of shark you would be.
- Adapt to survive: Use the touch screen to make the necessary evolutionary adaptations to survive in four different environments.
First Nations and Pasifika cultural representation
There are over 400 species of shark in the world, and about half of them occur in the waters around Australia, more than anywhere else. So we are uniquely placed to study sharks and create a better understanding of their importance.
Most First Nations and Pasifika Peoples have beliefs and cultural practices around sharks. In this exhibition we bring you just some of the people, places and stories about sharks from the great wash of the Pacific Ocean.
You’ll see:
- Cultural objects that teach us about the historical connections between people and sharks including weapons, armour, tools, ceremonial costume, drums and carvings.
- Newly acquired surfboards from Hawaii, made in the enduring style of Hawaiian Ancestors.
- An interactive seasonal calendar linking the plants and animals around you to what the sharks are doing in the water.
Image credit: Feeding the 'aumākua (ancestral spirits). © Original Artwork by Herb Kawainui Kāne LLC.
Sharks online publication
Delve into the world of Sharks and explore the digital publication with videos and extra content from the exhibition. Hear from First Nations peoples, scientists and conservationists as they share their stories about these ancient survivors.
Explore nowFAQs
The Australian Museum is COVID Safe.
To help keep our staff, visitors and community safe, the AM has COVID-19 protocols in place, including physical distancing, increased cleaning and hygiene practices. Facemasks are encouraged.
View our full COVID-19 safety information here.
All prices are listed on Ticketek. All prices include GST but booking fees apply.
Purchase your tickets now at Ticketek.com.au.
- Adult $29
- Child (3-15 years) $17.50
- Family (Admits 4 - 2A+2C/1A+3C) $76
- Concession $23
- AM Member 50% off, First visit FREE.
Do not buy tickets from unauthorised re-sellers. You risk buying fraudulent or invalid tickets.
The Australian Museum is open 10am-5pm daily and from 10am-9pm on Wednesdays. General admission to the Museum is free.
Please check the Ticketek website for Sharks session times as they are subject to change.
No refunds and all sales are final.
The Australian Museum will provide you with a full refund or try to re-book you to a different time and date (subject to availability) in the following circumstances:
a) we, or the event organisers, cancel or postpone the event for any reason to a time and date you are unable to attend
b) we, or the event organisers, provided you with materially incorrect information regarding the event
c) you, or a member of your group, are feeling unwell and experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, a sore throat or fatigue, are awaiting COVID-19 test results, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, has been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or are required to self-isolate.
Requests for refunds must be notified to Ticketek at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled event commencing by contacting Ticketek here and quoting your Customer ID. Once you submit your request, Ticketek will contact you prior to the event date.
We normally recommend 60 minutes to experience the exhibition.
To receive a 10% discount on your tickets, book for 10 or more people through the AM's Group Bookings Office. Special terms and conditions apply to group bookings.
To change your tickets, you will need to contact Ticketek - you can complete their online form here. It is under ‘Help’ on their website.
Special exhibition ticketed entry is free to those who hold a Companion Card and are assisting a ticket holder as a carer.
Carer's free entry is processed at the Australia Museum on presentation of their Companion Card.
See our Admissions page for further details.
Tickets are available to buy at the door, but we encourage you to buy tickets online before you arrive to ensure you can secure tickets for your preferred session time, as many are selling out, especially in the mornings and on weekends.
Children three years and over will be charged entry.
Yes, a family is classified as either 2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children.
If you've signed up to become a member, you will receive an email containing your digital Membership card along with your unique ticket link for Sharks.
The email may take several minutes to turn up in your inbox, and please double check it hasn't landed in your Junk Email folder. Click on the unique link to book your free ticket through Ticketek for any available time or date.
If you would like to become an AM Member and receive same day tickets to Sharks, please visit the Members Lounge or Admissions Desk in person to become a Member. At this time, our staff can arrange your free entry to Sharks for the same day you buy your membership.
Unfortunately, because sessions are selling out so fast and have strict capacity, sometimes there were only a handful of slots left in a session- so it may say "available" but if your ticket order was for more than is available, then it won’t let you proceed.
If you can’t even get 2 tickets, then that means there’s only 1 slot (1 person) left available in those sessions for example. When you go into a session, if it says “limited availability” at the top, that means there is less than 10 slots left, most likely less than 5.
Due to current requirements, Ticketek are also unable to process more than 6 people through in one transaction- so if you need tickets for more than 6 you will need to do them in a second transaction.
The age limit for children's tickets is 15 years and under.
The basement gallery is low lit with no windows. Sharks contains exhibits that play loud sounds, video and some bright lights. In busy times, the gallery can be very noisy.
We will have Early Birds sessions to provide a reduced sensory Sharks experience.
To get your tickets, register for Early Birds through the Early Birds webpage. During registration, you will have an option to purchase tickets for Sharks.
We have sessions starting from 8am up until 9.45am. Sessions from 10am will have lighting and sounds resume.
Book your Early Birds session here.
Food and beverages are not permitted in our galleries or exhibition spaces to ensure the preservation of our important collections.
There are a number of food and beverage options at the AM. Enjoy a leisurely lunch with superb panoramic views across Hyde Park to Sydney Harbour at our rooftop restaurant, No. 1 William, or grab a coffee and a sandwich or snack at our family-friendly kiosk, the Billabong Waterhole, located on Level 2. For more information on dining at the AM can be found here.
Cloaking is complimentary for AM visitors. 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 ensure items are collected ten minutes before closing.
Yes, more detailed information on the Museum’s accessibility features can be found here.
Information on parking and public transport can be found here.
Yes, although commercial photography is not permitted.
Visitor information and programs
Enter the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Sharks competition
For your chance to win a trip for two to see the vibrant Kimberley wilderness with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, enter the Sharks competition.
Enter nowSharks is proudly supported by the NSW Government through the Blockbuster Funding initiative.
Exhibition Partner
Supporting Partners
Media Partner
The Australian Museum is COVID Safe
To help keep our staff, visitors and community safe, the AM has COVID-19 protocols in place, including physical distancing, increased cleaning and hygiene practices. Facemasks are encouraged.
View our full COVID-19 safety information here.
