Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru at the Australian Museum
“It’s hard not to feel small in Peru.” That’s what one Broadsheet writer said after visiting the South American country. “It’s easy to feel insignificant when you realise Machu Picchu was only built six centuries ago – but it’s no less awe-inspiring when you’re finally there.”
The bucket-list destination is tricky to get to from Australia. If you can’t go any time soon, but want to experience the majesty of the Unesco World Heritage Site and witness its diverse culture, there’s a way you can – right here in Sydney.
Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is a major new cultural exhibition at the Australian Museum, sharing the secrets and history of Peru’s ancient civilisations – stretching back 14,000 years ago – and featuring 134 artefacts, including priceless pieces of Andean gold.
Peru has the longest history and is the oldest civilisation in the Americas. The exhibition takes viewers through its different periods – including the six most prominent cultures of the last three millennia, culminating in the Incan Empire that built Machu Picchu around 600 years ago – up until its decline at the hands of Spanish conquistadors.
The exhibition includes royal burial treasures made of gold, silver and gilded copper alongside intricate ceramics, body ornaments, textiles, ceremonial tools and everyday objects. It also provides a peek into the spirituality of ancient Peruvians who believed in deities that represented natural forces – guests can learn all about the myths and cosmology of those early peoples.
Finally, visitors can soar through the awe-inspiring ruins of Machu Picchu – untouched and devoid of people – in an award-winning virtual reality (VR) bird’s eye tour of the historic sanctuary.
Sydney is the fourth stop on the exhibition’s world tour after Boca Raton in Florida, Paris and Milan. It’s also exclusive to the Australian Musuem, so you won’t see it anywhere else in the country.
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