The Australian Museum of Performing Arts – a must-see for stage lovers
Where icons, costumes, and creative courage shine centre stage.
Melbourne finally has a permanent home for its performing arts treasures. The Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) sits inside Hamer Hall on the banks of the Birrarung (Yarra River), drawing on an archive of more than 850,000 objects spanning theatre, dance, opera, circus and music. On now, AMPA presents its second major exhibition, ENCORE! 50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. — fifty treasures marking half a century of Arts Centre Melbourne’s performing arts collection. (Read about AMPA’s opening exhibition, DIVA, here.)
Introducing the Australian Museum of Performing Arts
The Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) brings the world of performance to life through treasured objects, unforgettable stories and an extraordinary archive of items spanning theatre, dance, opera, circus, music and popular entertainment. Located inside Hamer Hall, on the banks of the Birrarung (Yarra River), the new museum finally gives these incredible stories a permanent and beautifully curated home.
These are stories once hidden in storerooms — now shining in world-class exhibitions that you can only see in Melbourne.
ENCORE! Opens 16 September 2026
AMPA’s second major exhibition is ENCORE! 50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection., opening 16 September 2026 and running until 9 May 2027. It marks 50 years of the Australian Performing Arts Collection.
I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the media opening, and the first thing that struck me was part of the entrance itself. You walk in through gold curtains, and it sets the tone immediately: this is a glamorous, magical space.
Fifty is exactly the right number of pieces for this kind of exhibition. It’s small enough to take your time with every single item, but generous enough that you’ll come away with a handful of genuine favourites. Mine included:
- Ossie Ostrich, the puppet co-host who became a household name alongside Daryl Somers on Hey Hey It’s Saturday from 1971 to 1994, voiced by puppeteer Ernie Carroll.
- Kylie Minogue’s gold hot pants, worn in the “Spinning Around” video clip.
- Costumes worn by Olivia Newton-John, Dame Joan Sutherland and Dame Nellie Melba — including the gown Sutherland wore in her celebrated 1965 homecoming tour of La Traviata, performed alongside a then little-known Italian tenor named Luciano Pavarotti.
- A dress worn by Judith Durham at The Seekers’ legendary 1967 Sidney Myer Music Bowl concert, still the biggest crowd ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere at the time. Durham later returned to the Bowl in 2009 to sing “The Carnival Is Over” one more time for a RocKwiz special.
There’s a strong First Nations and local thread running through the collection too — a custom vest worn by Archie Roach, pointe shoes signed by Ella Havelka (The Australian Ballet’s first dancer of First Nations heritage), and the costume worn by dancer Russell Page in Rites, the landmark 1997 collaboration between Bangarra Dance Theatre and The Australian Ballet.
Two objects I hadn’t expected to love most. The first was Nina Simone’s chewed gum, of all things, an item musician Warren Ellis rescued from the stage after her final London performance in 1999 and later had cast in silver. It’s an odd little relic, and all the more memorable for it.
Reader tip: For more on Nina Simone’s Gum, read Warren Ellis’s book of the same name.
The second was Denise Scott’s nude suit, worn for her 2003 comedy show Comedy Is Still Not Pretty alongside Judith Lucy and Lynda Gibson. It’s a funny object at first glance, but there’s real depth behind it: the show used comedy to talk about mortality, and the suits themselves were a pointed response to the way female comedians are so often judged on appearance rather than talent.
That mix is really what makes ENCORE! work. It’s not just costumes under glass. The exhibition text throughout leans into ideas of disruption and reinvention, of performers who took risks and changed what was expected of them, which gives even the more lighthearted objects a bit of weight.
ENCORE! is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am–7pm, with extra Monday and Tuesday opening during school holidays and public holidays. Tickets are $20 general admission, or $16 for Seniors Card holders.
Costumes, Characters and Cultural Icons
For each seasonal exhibition, AMPA draws from the Australian Performing Arts Collection – an archive of more than 850,000 objects. That includes:
- Iconic costumes from stars like Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave, and Hugh Jackman
- Memorabilia from The Australian Ballet, Circus Oz, Opera Australia, and Melbourne Theatre Company
- Rare artefacts from the worlds of music, dance, theatre, opera, circus, and popular entertainment
Many of these treasures have spent years behind the scenes. AMPA is where they finally take centre stage.
Looking Back: DIVA, AMPA’s Opening Exhibition
DIVA, developed by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), was AMPA’s opening exhibition and ran from 11 December 2025 to 26 April 2026. This Australian-exclusive show brought together more than 250 objects, including over 60 spectacular costumes, along with jewellery, photography, music and personal items belonging to performers from Maria Callas and Tina Turner to Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Lady Gaga.
DIVA has now closed, but if you missed it, ENCORE! is the next chance to see AMPA’s exhibition programme in full swing.
A Love Letter to the Performing Arts
Every exhibition at AMPA is carefully curated to celebrate the art of performance. Expect storytelling at its finest – personal, playful, and powerful.
Alongside homegrown treasures, AMPA also brings in exhibitions from international museums and galleries, making it a destination for locals and visitors alike.
Part of a Bigger Picture: Melbourne’s Arts Precinct Transformation
The opening of AMPA is just one act in a much bigger production.
It’s complemented by the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation – a $1.7 billion city-shaping project set to redefine how we experience arts and culture in Melbourne. Stretching from Federation Square to Southbank, the transformation includes new public gardens, enhanced accessibility, and stunning new venues – all designed to connect and celebrate creativity.
At its heart is The Fox: NGV Contemporary, soon to be the largest contemporary art gallery in Australia. Just next door, AMPA will add the sights, sounds and stories of performance, bringing the city’s artistic history to life in a way that’s never been done before.
Together, these projects will create a vibrant, walkable arts precinct – one that welcomes everyone and puts Melbourne’s cultural spirit on show for the world.
Laak Boorndap: A Garden Trail Connecting Melbourne’s Cultural Icons
Opening in 2028, Laak Boorndap—meaning “Heaven’s Beauty” in the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung language—is set to become the green heart of Melbourne’s Arts Precinct. Spanning 18,000 square metres, this elevated urban garden will create a lush, biodiverse corridor connecting The Fox: NGV Contemporary, NGV International, Arts Centre Melbourne, and the Southbank Theatre .
Designed by international firms Hassell and SO-IL, alongside horticulturalists Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough, and plant expert Jac Semmler, Laak Boorndap will feature a mix of native and international flora, public art installations, and water features, including commissions by First Peoples artists.
Read Kaye’s article: Melbourne’s Secret Garden
Side Trip
- Head into the Australian Music Vault located at the main Theatres Building of Arts Centre Melbourne (under the spire) for a free exhibition on Australian music history — a good option if you’re visiting before ENCORE! opens.
- Nearby restaurants we recommend include Hophaus, Riverland Bar and Chocolate Buddha.
Tips for visiting AMPA
- A cloakroom is available at the Hamer Hall main foyer, off St Kilda Road. Ideal if you’re heading in with coats, umbrellas or shopping bags.
- The entrance to AMPA is from ground level, St Kilda Road, around the corner from the Hamer Hall main foyer and box office.
- Look out for the Star Trail plaques, which have kid-friendly, readable information and questions to ponder over. The exhibition would be suitable for older kids, as it’s not very engaging or interactive for little ones.
AMPA Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible with entrance at ground level
- Companion Card recognised
- Open captioned content
- Accessible bathrooms
Australian Museum of Performing Arts
Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
For ticketing enquiries and bookings: call 1300 182 183
For administration enquiries: call (03) 9281 8000
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