Public listings checked 25/10/2026. Dates use each event’s local time. Check organiser details before travelling.
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Free things to do
80 matching events listed in the next 60 days. Admission prices are shown where supplied.
The museums shaping our future are those that evolve with the world around them. Join Dr Gus Casely-Hayford OBE, Director V&A East; David Gianotten, Managing Partner – Architect, OMA and curatorial collaborator on The Mall, and Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, Founding Partners, OPEN Architecture and curatorial collaborators on Task Eternal, as they share their groundbreaking practices that are redefining museums.
Moderated by Ninotschka Titchkosky.
This is an Auslan interpreted event.
This event ticket includes free entry to the museum and 4 exhibitions: The Mall, The Dark, Overflow and Es Devlin: The Turning.
Hear from industry leaders and collaborators behind The Mall in a series of conversations co-curated with internationally renowned architectural practice OMA.
The Gruen Legacy: A conversation exploring the origins and evolution of the modern shopping mall and the people behind its invention. Featuring Peggy Gruen, the daughter of pioneering retail designers Victor Gruen and Elsie Crawford, alongside Debra Gerod, partner at Gruen Associates, who trace the firm's early projects and influences.
The Shape of The Mall: OMA and Powerhouse share the concepts of Desire, Arcade, Transaction, Ideal City and Forum that have shaped The Mall. A conversation between OMA's David Giannotten, Gabriel Duarte, Sylvia Chan and Powerhouse curators Keinton Butler and Cara Stewart.
Shopping Behaviours: Retail environments are designed to shape movement, encourage engagement and support commercial performance. Featuring former Scentre Group principal designer Frank Alvarez, OMA Senior Architect Gabriel Duarte and David Jones Head of Creative Ross Sabatini, this conversation will reveal design strategies used to influence consumer behaviour.
Parra Reunited | Talk & Screening: 25 years on from the release of the film PARRA, documentary filmmaker Mitzi Goldman, now co-founder and CEO of Documentary Australia, brings the subjects of her film back together to discuss the project and how their lives and Parramatta Westfield have changed. The talk will be followed by a screening of the film.
Join three international artists as they walk us through their exhibitions featured at Head On Photo Festival.
Exhibition: Sudan: in time of war
Across Sudan, this work traces lives reshaped by war, as people endure displacement, erasure and uncertainty, rebuilding amid daily conflict.
Artist: Giles Clarke (UK) is a visual storyteller focused on conflict, displacement, and survival under constant threat. His practice is grounded in bearing witness to dignity and resilience.
Exhibition: Body of Work presents references classical art to present underrepresented bodies with dignity and sculptural presence beyond narrow beauty ideals.
Artist: Julia SH (USA/Sweden) is a Swedish-born, Los Angeles-based photographer who works with fine art portraiture and the human form
Exhibition: Can you keep a secret? This project confronts intergenerational child sexual abuse, using recreated trauma sites and testimonies to break silence and foster strength.
Artist: Virginia Morini (Italy) explores the surreal beneath everyday reality through documentary practice. Her work considers family, secrecy, sexuality, trauma and religion.
Hear from industry leaders and collaborators behind The Mall in a series of conversations co-curated with architectural practice OMA.
The Mall – Design: Leading Australian and international creatives Studio Ongarato, Vert and Space Popular join the Guardian's deputy culture editor Sian Cain to discuss the making of The Mall.
From Warehouse To Shop Floor: Industry leaders Micheal Kemeny (KNAPP) and Andrew Steele (GS1) explain the end-to-end journey of products and the logistics systems that make it all work.
My Rockstars: Western Sydney filmmaker Miski Omar, Turbans 4 Australia's Amar Singh and musician Sollyy recount the malls and public spaces that have shaped their shared experiences.
Mall Stories: Artist Gillian Kayrooz, photographer Jo Duck and writers Sarah Krasnostein and Felicity Castagna share their experiences shaped by malls, arcades and shopping centres across Western Sydney.
Reclaiming Arcades: This talk between Dr CC Williams and documentary photographer Bahram Mia examines the expanded use of suburban arcades and ideas for their renewal.
The Future of Retail Design: David Gianotten, Managing Partner – Architect, OMA, and leading designers Carolyn Jackson (Studio Clancy) and Josh Cain (Pattern Studio) discuss the future of visual merchandising.
Ideal Cities: In this talk, cultural commentator Darran Anderson and architecture collective Grandeza Studio will critique real and unrealised city planning models from across the world.
The pursuit of immortality has become the latest way for billionaires to spend their money and stoke their egotism. Acclaimed science fiction writer Ted Chiang asks: is there a way to be ethical while still seeking eternal life, or does that desire automatically make you as selfish as the worst people in the world? In an age where technology has become inextricable from capitalism, can the urge to transcend all limitations be separated from the desire to escape all our obligations to each other?
Hosted by Agatha Gothe-Snape.
This is an Auslan interpreted event.
This event ticket includes free entry to the museum and 4 exhibitions: The Mall, The Dark, Overflow and Es Devlin: The Turning.
2026 Australian of the Year and astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg shares her experience of training to become an astronaut and her unique perspective at the forefront of Australia's future in space. In this keynote, she reflects on the human ingenuity shaping space exploration today and beyond.
This is an Auslan interpreted event.
Presented in partnership with the Australian Space Agency.
This event ticket includes free entry to the museum and 4 exhibitions: The Mall, The Dark, Overflow and Es Devlin: The Turning.
A solo exhibition of carved, painted sculptures and framed wood engravings. The sculptures are hand carved by the artist
made of Juletong wood and stand approximately 30cm in height.
As libraries enter a new era shaped by rapid technological change, how will their purpose, function and public value evolve? This lecture explores how developments such as artificial intelligence and new forms of digital preservation are influencing how libraries collect, manage and share knowledge. It also charts how technology is transforming everyday life, and why the public library matters more than ever as a place for access, belonging and participation.
This talk is part of a series curated by Mitchell Librarian Richard Neville, reflecting on the history of the State Library of NSW. From the founding stories of this iconic institution to its evolution across 200 years, the series examines how libraries collect, preserve and share knowledge, imagination and creativity across generations.
Artificial Intelligence is everywhere, not only on devices but becoming a staple in work, daily lives and in critical thinking. Exploring how AI can evolve to be used in the future, this talk will clarify the uncertainty and mystery of AI.
Discussing critical questions around increasing reliance on AI and the future of work, world-leading AI expert Dr Sue Keay unpacks the foundations and implications of the AI race.
Sydney Cellar Door returns this November, transforming The Rocks into NSW's largest open-air cellar door and wine tasting experience.
Taking place in The Rocks at First Fleet Park, this three-day wine festival brings together 35+ premium wineries from across 16 different NSW wine regions.
From celebrated favourites to hidden gems, Sydney Cellar Door offers a rare opportunity to taste your way across the state in one spectacular weekend. Connect directly with passionate local producers, sample their wines, and soak up the atmosphere with a glass in hand while taking in breathtaking views of the Sydney Opera House.
Sydney Cellar Door is free to enter. Taste the range from AUD5, buy by the glass or take a bottle home to enjoy later with friends and family.
Whether you're a explorer or a wine connoisseur, visit Sydney Cellar Door website, discover which NSW wineries are coming to Sydney and skip the queue on the day by pre-purchasing your festival pack!
Step aboard for a magical evening filled with vibrant Indian flavours, Bollywood beats, and the festive spirit of Diwali against the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Enjoy a refreshing Diwali glow mocktail on arrival, followed by an authentic Indian buffet dinner while taking in breathtaking harbour views.
Dance the night away with our onboard Bollywood DJ, embrace the colourful atmosphere, and dress in your finest ethnic attire for the chance to win our Best Dressed prize. Gather your family, friends, or colleagues and enjoy a memorable Diwali experience on the water.
Cruise inclusions:
Three hour cruise on Sydney Harbour
Diwali glow mocktail on arrival
Bollywood DJ
Authentic Indian buffet casual dinner
Dessert, coffee and tea
Fully licensed bar - packages available
Prizes and giveaways.
Australia's largest and the world's longest running early parenting event! The Pregnancy Babies & Children's Expo (PBC Baby Expo) showcases big brands, best prices, expert talks and classes from our resident midwife and parenting professionals, and all the latestinnovations under one roof.
Plus, you'll get to push, park and compare a large range of pram brands exclusively on the Pram Test Track!
See, touch and try before you buy with exclusive expo deals on all your baby and nursery essentials.
Discover all you need to know from bump, to birth and beyond. You won't want to miss this!
