Australian Museum

A visit to The Australian Museum is a wonderful family day out, this large museum houses everything from dinosaurs to insects and everything in between so you’ll find plenty here to keep kids of all ages busy for hours and hours. Kids love exploring the dimly lit corridors filled with life-sized prehistoric animals and the Sky high T-Rex will thrill your little dino lovers with the occasional roar. Don’t miss the interactive projected touch table with snapping crocodiles, wriggling snakes and spiders.

The Museum also offers great, low-cost school holiday activities with quality shows and interactive workshops. The occasional Dinosnore sleepover in the museum for kids aged 5-12 is an exciting, thrilling and unique experience. Watch their website or ellaslist’s event calendar for upcoming dates.

For young babies to 5 years, you can’t beat Kidspace on level 2 of the museum (entry here is included free with standard museum admission cost). Kidspace is a mini museum dedicated to under 5′s that encourages young kids to explore the natural world through hundreds of hands-on activities. It’s so good, and one of the best-dedicated spaces for under 5′s in Sydney it deserves a review of its own. Read more about Kidspace here.

Ellaslist opinion: We love the Australian Museum and can’t recommend it highly enough. There is so much to see and do that repeat visits only uncover more interesting displays. and great special exhibitions. Perfect for rainy days and hot summer days. It’s really worth getting the annual pass. The weekly Tint Tots and Mini Explorers sessions are great for free (after entry) activities for kids, usually centred around a special exhibition and guaranteed to be heaps of fun. The Australian museum gift shop is one of the best with an excellent range of fun, educational and science-based toys.

Admission: Click here for latest admission costs. Opening Hours: 9.30am to 5pm daily (except Christmas Day)

Facilities: There are 2 baby change facilities and a café with some healthy options for kids. The Museum is set right across the road from Hyde Park, a great spot for a picnic lunch. All areas are accessible with a stroller.

Getting there: The nearest train stations are St. James, Museum (tricky with prams-no lifts) and Town Hall. Each is an easy and level seven minute walk. The Museum is on the Sydney Explorer bus route and is a five minute walk from the centre of the city. There’s metered parking all around Hyde Park, or there’s a large car park behind St Mary’s Cathedral.

Places Nearby: Cook and Phillip Aquatic Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Art Gallery NSW