The Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) – Arts Centre Melbourne’s newest venue – is set to open this December. Designed to house over 850,000 objects celebrating circus, dance, music, opera, theatre and ballet, it’ll also host exhibitions pulling from its own collections plus the very best international museums and galleries.

 

Kicking off proceedings is Diva, an exclusive collab with London’s famed V&A Museum that celebrates some of history’s most provocative (and fab) performers. The exhibition will host more than 250 objects – including spectacular costumes, jewellery, photography, art and music – relating to legendary performers such as Maria Callas, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, Grace Jones, Cher, Prince, Tina Turner, Elton John, Madonna, Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Bjork and Billie Eilish.

 

On the Australian front, you’ll find items relating to local icons like Dame Joan Sutherland, Peter Allen, Marcia Hines, Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John, Cate Blanchett, Kate Miller-Heidke, Chrissy Amphlett, Dame Edna Everage, Jessica Mauboy and Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers.

 

The exhibition runs December 11, 2025 to April 25, 2026. And Broadsheet Access members can be among the first to see all the glamorous sights with an exclusive after-hours tour on December 18.

 

Guests will gather at Hamer Hall’s foyer bar before listening to a curatorial intro talk at the Riverside Mezzanine. Then they’ll make their way into the exhibition for a self-guided tour. (A great way to avoid day-time crowds as Access members will have the space to themselves for over 90 minutes.)

 

To score an Access Invite, it’s first in, best dressed – so set your alarm. The best part? Invites open to annual members 24 hours before the rest, so your chances of attending are good. When it’s time to enter early, we’ll email you a direct link. Make the switch to annual by emailing us at access@broadsheet.com.au today.

 

Bookings open soon.