Is that a dead cat?
Yes, and it’s only the beginning.
Why is there a mummified cat in the museum? Who is the boy wrapped in ancient linens? Is that a real skull? Why do some people leave food, flowers, or paper gifts for their ancestors?
Join us for a family adventure through the museum as we explore how people throughout history and around the world have remembered, honoured, and cared for the dead.
Along the way, we will meet ancient Egyptians, discover extraordinary animals and objects from the past, hear stories about ancestors and the afterlife, and make our own creative offerings and keepsakes.
Through stories, hands-on activities, and museum exploration, we will discover how different cultures have imagined the worlds of the dead, and what it means to be remembered.
This program invites children and adults to be curious, imaginative, and thoughtful while exploring one of the most universal parts of being human… death.
Grown ups attending are free, $25 per child.
Nicola is an archaeologist and educator specialising in human remains. Her work focuses on ancient medicine, disease, and the lived experiences of ordinary people, exploring the stories their bones still have to tell. As a professionally trained opera singer, Nicola enjoys bringing storytelling, curiosity, and the occasional dramatic flourish to her tours. Her greatest ongoing challenge is convincing her cat that breakfast is not served every fifteen minutes.
Jenny is an art worker and educator. She works across ceramics, non-lens-based photography, and research-and site-responsive installation. Through material investigation and object-centred inquiry, her studio practice speaks to belonging, transcultural narratives, and the layered stories embedded in objects and places. She had a previous professional life in public policy. Jenny is still waiting for a cat to adopt her.
