What’s on at the SA Museum | South Australian Museum | Adelaide
Looking to find out what’s on at the South Australian Museum?
There’s a mix of exhibitions, school holiday activities and hands-on workshops happening, plus plenty of free displays you can explore at your own pace. Current highlights include the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, Curiosity Lab sessions for kids, and special holiday programming running through April.
Whether you’re popping in for an hour or planning a full day out, it’s an easy way to keep kids curious and entertained – with something new to discover each visit.
What’s on at the SA Museum?
Pacific Cultures Gallery Closure
The Pacific Cultures Gallery will be closed for conservation work from Monday 3 August 2026. The process is part of a strategic move to protect this extensive collection for the enjoyment and education of future generations. The revitalised Pacific Cultures Gallery will reopen after the completion of the conservation program, with stronger community voices, storytelling, and broader representation of Pacific cultures. Papua New Guinea is proud to be part of this ongoing initiative over the next three years.
NAIDOC Week at the South Australian Museum this year (5-12 July) will be marked with a free exhibition celebrating 50 Years Deadly.
50 Years Deadly, which includes an extensive display in the Museum’s foyer and supporting exhibition in the Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery, features the NAIDOC Week posters dating back to the commemoration’s inception in 1975. Each poster represents a different era of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activism.
The Museum has also partnered with the Women’s and Children’s Hospital to present an accompanying video featuring Aboriginal voices, speaking about what NAIDOC Week and 50 Years Deadly means to them.
During NAIDOC Week Museum visitors can enjoy:
- Posters and Power school holiday workshop (ages 12-17 years)
- A bookable school holiday workshop for teenagers interested in history and social action, hosted by the Museum and the nearby Centre of Democracy. Discover how posters have been used through our history to share messages and promote social change.
- NAIDOC Chatterbox – A free, drop-in activity for school-age children, to engage with NAIDOC Week. Chatterbox will be held in the Museum’s foyer and will run throughout the week.
- Family Learning Area – Drop into the Museum’s Learning Space on the 2nd floor to connect with culture. Families can share stories from our reconciliation library and sing, play or dance along to First Nations learning videos.
National Reconciliation Week | SA Museum | 27 May – 3 Jun 2026
Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize Exhibition | SA Museum | On display until 19 July 2026
Explore the South Australian Museum | Review
Creatures of the Palaeozoic Display | SA Museum | Feb – Jul 2026
The Crocodile Club | Free Early Learning Program at SA Museum
South Australian Museum Discovery Centre
The Discovery Centre is a special place for people of all ages to feed their curiosity with endless wonders to discover – like insects, fossils, meteorites and even a beehive.
It is open to the public from 10:30am to 2:30pm on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Cost: FREE
READ OUR REVIEW OF THE SA MUSEUM HERE
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
For more information and all enquiries please visit the South Australian Museum website
What: What’s on at the SA Museum
When: Open daily: 10am to 5pm | Anzac Day: 12noon to 5pm | Closed: Good Friday & Christmas Day
Where: The Museum is located at North Terrace, Adelaide, next to the Art Gallery and the State Library.
Who: All ages
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
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