Exhibitions

Sharks

Go beyond the bite and see sharks like never before.
Discover the surprising side of these ocean predators in this life-sized exhibition. 

ON NOW UNTIL MONDAY 1 JUNE, 2026
ADULT $22, CHILD (5-15 YRS) $11, UNDER 5 YRS FREE   
FAMILY (2 ADULT, 2 CHILD) $59  
CONCESSIONS (STUDENTS & SENIORS) $20 
FREE FOR MUSEUM MEMBERS. 
RELAXED SESSIONS AVAILABLE
2 FOR 1 ADULT TICKETS ON TWILIGHT TUESDAY

Dive into the world of Sharks in this family-friendly exhibition revealing the fascinating world of these ocean predators. Blending traditional knowledge, cutting-edge science, and hands-on discovery, explore how these ancient fishes have evolved over 450 million years and the vital role they play in our ocean ecosystems today. 

Created by the Australian Museum, Sharks takes you beneath the surface to uncover the diversity, biology, and cultural significance of one of the most extraordinary - yet often misunderstood - creatures. Through expert insights, personal stories, and interactive design, you’ll see sharks in a whole new light.  

Step inside a specially designed digital oceanarium, come face-to-fin with striking scientifically accurate life-sized models, and get hands-on with touchable fossils and teeth. Discover why sharks are essential to healthy oceans, the challenges they face, and how we can all play a part in protecting them. 

Revered. Feared. Misunderstood? You decide. 

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Images © Australian Museum

Exhibition highlights include:

  • ​Nine life-size scientifically accurate shark models, including the Helicoprion (extinct buzzsaw shark), the hammerhead, the tiger shark, and the great white. 

  • 3D interactive body scan exploring the anatomy of a shark. 

  • Hands-on displays with a megalodon jaw, recreated shark skin, a great white tooth, and more. 

  • Immersive projections that place sharks back into their natural habitats. 

  • Interactive challenges that let you adapt a shark to survive in a changing environment. 

Buy Tickets

Tickets are timed-entry every 30 minutes. Book your preferred time to enter and stay as long as you like.

ADULT $22, CHILD 5-15 $11, UNDER 5 FREE
FAMILY (2 ADULT + 2 CHILD) $59
CONCESSIONS (STUDENTS & SENIORS WITH ID) $20

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FREE with a Museum Membership

Our Membership options start from $50 and unlock unlimited free entry to paid exhibitions, discounted event tickets, invites to exclusive Members' only sessions and more.

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FREE with a Museum Membership

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES

Shark Quest
KIDS AND FAMILY

Te Ao Mārama South Atrium

Shark Quest

Join our Shark Squad this summer! Pick up a free trail from Te Ao Mārama and explore the galleries on a self-guided Shark Quest packed with clues, facts, and activities. Complete your quest to go in the draw for a sharktastic prize. 
Bite-Sized Treasures
SPECIAL EXHIBITION STORE

Te Ao Mārama South Atrium

Bite-Sized Treasures

Take home a memento of your visit to Sharks with a souvenir – or gift – from our Special Exhibition Store. From fishy plushies, to educational books and shark-inspired art and jewellery, there is something for everyone.  
Sharks Tooth Platter
TUITUI MUSEUM BISTRO & CAFÉ

Te Ao Mārama South Atrium

Sharks Tooth Platter

Fuel little explorers before or after their deep-sea adventure with our Sharks Tooth Platter. They’ll enjoy shark-tooth ham sandwiches, cheesy golden fish crackers, a chocolate-covered fish, and a friendly sea turtle crafted from fresh kiwifruit and green grapes.  Served on a timber platter. 
Twilight Tuesdays at Auckland Museum
OPEN LATE ON TUESDAYS

Twilight Tuesdays

Exhibition late nights

Sharks is open late on Tuesdays for an extra special exhibition experience at your own pace. Make the most of our 2 for 1 deal on Adult tickets, and enjoy drinks and a bite at Tuitui Happy Hour 5PM - 8PM.
Take a glimpse into Sharks
ANCIENT ORIGINS, REMARKABLE DIVERSITY

Take a glimpse into Sharks

Sharks have existed for hundreds of millions of years, predating dinosaurs and even trees in the fossil record. Walk back through time and see how the earliest sharks evolved to survive through changing environments, including five global mass extinctions.  

From the size of a cigar, to a large city bus, sharks come in all shapes and sizes. Explore the incredible diversity of sharks and the science behind why there are around 500 shark species in the world today. 

You’ll see: 

  • A life size model of the ancient 270-million-year-old Helicoprion. 
  • The largest predatory shark of today, the great white shark Carcharodon carcharias. 
  • The tiny 50cm Epaulette shark. 

 
You’ll find out: 

  • About the largest shark alive, the Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus), which can grow to up to 16m. 
  • The ancient lineage of sharks from 450 million years ago to today. 
  • About the strange prickly dogfish.
BUILT TO SURVIVE

Shallow, fresh, dark or murky, sharks have adapted to live in a variety of environments.  

From sharks that glow in the dark, and ones with protruding jaws; sharks with ginormous mouths or some with teeny tiny teeth, find out about how these unique fish have adapted to make the best of the environments they inhabit. 

You’ll see: 

  • The fastest shark, the Shortfin Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) as a rearticulated skeleton. 
  • The unique colouration sharks use to blend into their environment. 
  • The highly unusual jaw of the Port Jackson shark.


You'll find out: 

  • About the tiny denticles which cover sharks for protection and speed in the water. 
  • How sharks have different shapes to suit their different environments, from the torpedo like ocean sharks to the lizard like reef sharks. 
  • The electrosensing used by hammerheads to find prey buried under the sand.
COME FACE TO FIN

See through the eyes of a hammerhead, touch the teeth of a great white or take a photo in the jawbone of the ancient massive megalodon.  

Through interactive and tactile displays and an immersive cylindrical oceanarium, Sharks takes you deep inside the world of these extraordinary creatures.

You’ll see: 

  • Touchable shark models showing everything from gills to teeth.
  • The incredible 360-degree vision of the hammerhead shark.
  • The incredible oceanarium, immersing you in the aquatic world of sharks.


You'll find out: 

  • What sort of shark are you? Take the shark personality test to find out.
  • What’s in the inside of a hungry Tiger Shark’s stomach! 
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

Throughout time, First Nation and Pacific cultures have reflected characteristics of sharks in tools, ceremonial practices, and carvings to show their respect for these revered ocean creatures.  

You’ll see: 

  • Taonga from around Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa which teach us about the connections between people and sharks. 
  • A tapa table which allows visitors to explore the motifs of cultures around the Pacific Ocean. 
  • Traditional Hawaiian surfboards made in the style of the Hawaiian Ancestors.


You'll find out: 

  • About the connections of mangō to our night sky.
  • Stories of connection to sharks and the ocean.
  • Conservation efforts of people from around Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.
Images © Australian Museum