News from the Australian Museum

Scientific discoveries, ground-breaking expeditions, jaw-dropping exhibitions and Australia's biggest museum collection.

Bleached and fluorescing Acropora corals on the reef crest near South Island, Lizard Island Group, on 25 Feb 2024.

Devastating coral bleaching in 2024

The fifth mass bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef in the past eight years was declared in April 2024.

7 May 2024

Landmark study reveals new ‘Tree of Life’ for all birds living today

The culmination of a decade-long research study involving scientists from across the globe working on the Bird 10,000 Genomes Project (B10K), which aims to sequence the complete genomes of every living bird species.

2 April 2024

The coffin of Ramses II on display in the <i>Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs</i> exhibition.

Box office gold: Australian Museum’s most successful exhibition

Local and international visitors have flocked to Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs, making it the most popular exhibition in the Australian Museum’s history, with more than 350,000 tickets sold.

14 March 2024

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Museum displays: Invertebrate and Vertebrate Tree

See behind the scenes photographs featuring the construction of the Vertebrate and Invertebrate Tree, both popular displays, opened in 1959 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Charles Darwin's publication, ‘On the Origin of Species'.

6 May 2024

Bringing a funerary net back to life

Discover the beautiful ancient Egyptian faience net on display in the 200 Treasures of the Australian Museum exhibition, restored by hand by the Australian Museum conservation team.

3 May 2024

Norfolk Island Polynesian adze-making site results just published

The first new archaeological site excavated on Norfolk Island in almost 30 years expands our knowledge of local Polynesian settlement. Evidence from a recently excavated stone-working site has now been published in the journal Archaeology in Oceania.

17 April 2024

Reef in crisis: scientists despair as corals perish AAP Newswire
May 5, 2024
Move Over, Cicadas: These Living Things ‘Go Dark’ For a Long Time, Too Smithsonian Magazine
April 29, 2024
Ramses exhibition breaks records for Australian Museum City Hub
April 25, 2024
The Allure of ancient Egypt's golden history ABC Radio National
April 13, 2024
After 10 years of work, landmark study reveals new ‘tree of life’ for all birds living today The Conversation
April 2, 2024

Australian Museum Research Institute

The Coastal Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes superciliaris) is one of seven frog species added to the scientifically recognised frog species list in Australia since the first release of the Australian Frog Atlas (AFA).

Where are Australia’s frogs? Introducing the latest Australian Frog Atlas

With seven new frog species described to science and over a million frog records at our fingertips, we revise and update the Australian Frog Atlas – the most detailed, up-to-date distribution maps of all Australia’s 254 frog species.

22 April 2024

The four colour ‘morphs’ of Ranitomeya imitator.

Lacking tooth and claw: Fighting frogs reveal their true colours

Our new research published in the journal Evolutionary Ecology aimed to unravel the ways male frogs identify other males as territorial threats, the results surprised us.

22 February 2024

<i>Advena grayi</i>, thought to be extinct until a small population was found on Phillip Island.

Back from the brink: Snail success stories

Members of the Australian Museum Malacology team – Dr Frank Köhler and Dr Isabel Hyman – and Taronga Zoo colleague, Parnee Bonson, visited Phillip Island as part of the AM-led Norfolk Island expedition. The team were on the look-out for Critically Endangered snails, and the results were astounding!

6 November 2023

Vaka (Canoe) 'Tai Tokelau' made entirely from the Kanava tree in Tokelau featured in Wansolmoana, Australian Museum's Pasifika Gallery.

The Australian Museum celebrates deep cultural connections with the Pacific in its new permanent gallery: Wansolmoana

Exploring themes of Deep connections, Identity, Disruption and Climate Change, Wansolmoana has been made possible by a generous gift from The Macdoch Foundation.

19 October 2023

From the Director: Let’s celebrate beautiful Bilas body adornment

The Australian Museum's exhibition Bilas: Body Adornment from Papua New Guinea is woven straight from the spirit of a community’s lore and showcased by way of physical adornment.

18 July 2023

Barka: The Forgotten River

Explore the magnificent Barka (Darling River) and its plight in a free exhibition opening at the Australian Museum Thursday 16 March 2023.

16 March 2023

Devastating coral bleaching in 2024

The fifth mass bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef in the past eight years was declared in April 2024.

7 May 2024

Figure 1. DR.19319 Olivine in volcanic bomb from the Australian Museum collection

Combating climate change with olivine

Tim Flannery discusses an exciting mineral, olivine and how it can be used to tackle climate change.

11 March 2024

DECEMBER 1st World Heads of States pose for a group photo at Al Wasl during the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 at Expo City Dubai on December 1, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28)

The United Nations Climate Conference (COP28), currently underway in the United Emirates is the first time that the Australian Museum (AM) has been invited to participate in this global event.

12 December 2023