Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

09/10/2026

Our Territory History Curators, Jared Archibald and Paige Taylor, recently welcomed members of the Historical Society of the Northern Territory for a special behind-the-scenes tour of MAGNT’s Territory History store.

🎶From a sheet music book and black lace textile belonging to Ludmilla Hughes (née Holtze) to Sister Ellen Kettle’s red nursing cloak and Akubra hat, the group explored objects and heard fascinating stories about the people and history of the Territory.

There was also plenty of interest in a collection of marble-top Codd bottles once used to hold lolly water produced in the Top End.

👋Thank you to the Historical Society of the Northern Territory for visiting and sharing your interest in our collections.

Every object in our collection has a story to tell and helps preserve the Territory’s past for future generations.

08/10/2026

⚠️ Service Update!!
If you are trying to contact us, please be aware that MAGNT is currently experiencing a network outage beyond our control and will likely remain offline for the remainder of the day.

In the meantime, MAGNT remains open to visitors and we look forward to welcoming you.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

06/10/2026

Barayuwa Munuŋgurr is the winner of the of the 2026 Telstra National Indigenous and Torres Strait Island Art Awards Telstra Bark Painting Award for his artwork The hidden reef at Yarrinya 2025.

“Disguised within this design are the knives, limbs and bones of the whale made sacred with the essence of Mirinyuŋu. The bounty of a whale carcass rich in nutrition can become a dangerous threat in tropical conditions if people lack the discipline to control consumption.” - Barayuwa Munuŋgurr

Barayuwa paints his own Djapu designs as well as the Munyuku clan designs of his mother Bengitj’s homeland, Yarrinya. Yarrinya is also the motherland of his paternal grandfather, Wonggu Munuŋgurr. The vibrant patterns that originate from his mother’s Munyuku clan designs recall an ancestral story that took place on the Yarrinya saltwater estate.

See Barayuwa and other finalists’ work and find out more about their stories at MAGNT in Darwin or via the Online Gallery.

You can also vote for your favourite piece in the People’s Choice
👉 Find out more www.magnt.net.au/telstra-natsiaa-2026

📷 Barayuwa Munuŋgurr is the winner of the of the 2026 Telstra National Indigenous and Torres Strait Island Art Awards Telstra Bark Painting Award for his artwork The hidden reef at Yarrinya 2025.Image: © Charlie Bliss

02/10/2026

🌧️ Mould, humidity, pests… Oh my!!! 🌿

With some overnight September showers appearing, it’s your annual reminder to prepare your treasured artworks and memorabilia for the Wet Season.

Caring for artwork and keepsakes in the tropics can be challenging, but the MAGNT Conservation Team is here to help.

Join us to learn how to protect your precious weavings, carvings, paintings, and paper from mould, humidity, pests, and more.

🗓️ Saturday, 10 October
🕚 11am – 12pm
📍 MAGNT Theatrette

💡 Get practical tips to keep your treasures safe and sound.

👉For more information and to register visit the MAGNT What's On:

Plan your visit to MAGNT Darwin. Discover our dynamic talks, tours and workshops suitable for all ages.

01/10/2026

🐟 Ever wondered what happened to the famous million-dollar barra?

Gary the barramundi is now enjoying retirement at MAGNT, where he lives in the behind-the-scenes “wet store” with his fishy friends.

In May 2024, Katherine local Keegan Payne made history by catching the first million-dollar fish. The prize-winning catch, that Keegan named Gary, has continued its ‘life’ at MAGNT.

Today, Gary is more than a lucky catch. Like every specimen in MAGNT’s natural sciences collection, he is a valuable scientific record helping researchers understand specimens, from tiny shells to deep-sea sharks and their place in the natural world.

Gary even has a digital life, with records on the Atlas of Living Australia and DNA data on GenBank.

As Season 12 of the Million Dollar Fish competition begins today, we’re wishing all this year’s anglers the best of luck! 🎣

Want to help MAGNT care for and study important specimens like Gary? Your donation will support the development of a new natural sciences exhibition, giving visitors more opportunities to explore and understand the NT’s unique environments, wildlife and natural heritage.

👉 Visit the MAGNT Support page to find out more https://www.magnt.net.au/annual-giving-campaign

29/09/2026

🎉 What better way to celebrate your 80th birthday than with a MAGNT adventure! 🔬🦈

School holidays are underway at MAGNT and today was extra special for one adventurous grandmother, who celebrated her 80th birthday with a behind-the-scenes tour of our fascinating collections in the wet store with her grandson.

Clare Robertson said she “never turns down a perfectly good adventure”, so when her grandson Leon’s mum snapped up tickets, she didn’t hesitate to join in!

The pair ventured into the specialised store room with other curious minded visitors to learn about MAGNT’s incredible specimens kept safe in jars, tanks and vats, and discovered how they help scientists understand the natural world.

🦈 They came face-to-face with a two-headed shark
🦐 They discovered how a pistol shrimp can create a flash of light by rapidly snapping its claw
🔎 They were two of only a handful of people who got a special glimpse behind the scenes at MAGNT’s collections.

What a wonderful way to celebrate 80 years! 🎂💚
Happy birthday, Clare! We’re so glad you enjoyed your adventure at MAGNT!

For more information about activities on offer, visit the MAGNT What’s On: https://www.magnt.net.au/whatsondarwin

24/09/2026

Do you know which country each boat in our Colin Jack-Hinton Maritime Gallery comes from? 🌏

Can you find the boat made from a single tree? 🌳
What was the smallest boat in the gallery used for?
And… can you find a princess? 👑

To celebrate World Maritime Day come in a grab a FREE activity book and find the answers.

Choose from:
🛟 Toddlers Trail – perfect for our littlest explorers
⚓️ Children’s Trail – ready for a maritime challenge?

Can you find the answers? All are on displayed in our Colin Jack-Hinton Maritime Gallery.

Join us for a fun, hands-on activity for the whole family!

22/09/2026

✨Wow, what a response to school holiday activities!

We just have added some more fun at MAGNT these school holidays.

MAGNT After Dark | Insect Investigation activity.
Explore the museum by torchlight with the MAGNT Education Team. Learn how to set insects traps outside. Enjoy dinner and a tour by torchlight with other emerging entomoligsts.

🗓️ 2 October I 5pm – 9pm. Bookings essential.

Children's Field Trip | Lee Point
Join the MAGNT Education Team and Emeritus Curator of Molluscs, Dr Richard Willan, to discover more about the coastal creatures at Lee Point. You will be on the lookout for hermit crabs and different species of fish and learn how to identify and classify different types of shells.

🗓️ 1 October | 8am–11pm. Bookings essential.

🧪 A reminder that our Science Discovery Centre is getting a refresh over the coming weeks. While the work is underway, our STEAM activities will pop up in other areas around the MAGNT grounds, including the Theatrette, Maritime Gallery and Amphitheatre.

📍Please check the activity location when booking via the MAGNT What’s On so you know where to go.
👋 Our weekly Mini Makers drop-in sessions from 10:30am on Fridays, for ages 2–5 years, will be held in the Theatrette during this time.

👉 Visit the MAGNT What’s On to find out more: https://www.magnt.net.au/whatsondarwin

18/09/2026

🎬✨ CLOSING WEEKEND!
Last chance to catch DIFF at MAGNT.
Don’t miss films and workshops for all ages, all weekend, right here in the comfort of our refurbished Theatrette!
🎟️ Explore the program and book your tickets!

15/09/2026

Introducing the Northern Territory’s newest lizard! 🦎

The Garrwa Banded Skink, Eremiascincus erebos, is a little beauty known from just two localities in the north-eastern Northern Territory.

Only three specimens of this species are cared for in Australian museums, and two of those are here in MAGNT’s Natural Science collection.

It’s recent work by Stephen Zozaya and colleagues at the The Australian National University that has revealed a distinct species endemic to the south-western Gulf of Carpentaria region. That the museum specimens were able to highlight the differences is another example of the essential role Museum collections play in documenting biodiversity and discovering new species.

📷 The Garrwa Banded Skink, Eremiascincus erebos. Image: Stephen Zozaya