Sit peacefully within the heart of a tree, feel a snow leopard’s cold nose, and help coral spawn beneath the full moon. This is Our Wondrous Planet.
In the new world-class multisensory gallery at Melbourne Museum, visitors find themselves miraculously intertwined in the earth’s intricate, interconnected systems, leaving empowered to nurture the planet for years to come.
Spanning 1,800sqm across the first floor of the architecturally designed museum, Our Wondrous Planet is the most expansive science and biodiversity gallery in Museums Victoria’s history. With vibrant colours and interactives, the gallery takes visitors on an exploratory journey across the earth. From the reef to rainforest, ice to soil, each vital ecosystem plays a major role in the health of our global systems.
Reflecting on its ambition, New Zealand-born CEO and Director Lynley Crosswell says: “We set ourselves a challenge to make a multisensory exhibition that will explore a subject as epic and vast as the natural history of the interconnected planet.
“Our Wondrous Planet is a place to discover life’s extraordinary spectacle and incredible improbability through compelling stories. This beautiful experience artfully showcases Museums Victoria’s unique collections and expertise that will leave visitors astonished.”
Bidjigal/Dharawel man Ray Timbery adds: “When you gain knowledge of something, you actually start to respect it. When you respect it, you learn to love it. And when you love it, you care for it.”
Global First People’s wisdom and stories are woven throughout Our Wondrous Planet, inspiring connection and reciprocity to country. In the reflective First Peoples-led space, Our Roots, visitors will feel this sense of care to nature.
The Our Family portion of the exhibition showcases hundreds of taxidermied animals, many of which were part of Melbourne Museum’s much loved Wild gallery and reveal the human connection to all other living things through the visual ‘tree of life’.
When you gain knowledge of something, you actually start to respect it. When you respect it, you learn to love it. And when you love it, you care for it.
Our Moment is an interactive multimedia space encouraging visitors to work together to address ecological problems facing our planet.
Our Wondrous Planet is a gallery for our times which shows that everything in nature’s dynamic living network is truly interconnected, and every single person can make a difference.
Admission to Our Wondrous Planet is free with museum entry. For further information visit the Melbourne Museum website: museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum
Museums Victoria also offer guided tours of Melbourne Museum where you can find out more about iconic collection items, the history of Victoria, and the history of the museum itself. Find out more at museumsvictoria.com.au/ museums-victoria-tours
