Overview
Nostalgia is back in a big way in 2026, so it only makes sense that a new landmark exhibition is showcasing 50 of the most iconic treasures from Australian performing arts history, plucked from the past 50 years. Taking place at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) at Arts Centre Melbourne from Wednesday, September 16, 2026–Sunday, May 9, 2027, ENCORE! is your chance to relive (or discover) a host of unforgettable television, stage and movie moments.
With several spectacular pieces going on public display for the first time, it won't take long for your memory to overflow with sentimentality. For instance, you can get up close to the gold hot pants worn by Kylie Minogue in the "Spinning Around" music video, the original neon-red L'Amour sign Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin created for Opera Australia's La Bohème, and instantly recognisable costumes worn by superstars like Olivia Newton-John, Hugh Jackman and more.
Set model with bus, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical, Palace Theatre, London, 2009. Australian Performing Arts Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne.
"Exploring the breadth of performing arts genres and spanning 170 years, ENCORE! is an exclusive backstage pass to 50 incredible moments from Australia's history. It feels only fitting that our nation's vibrant stage contributions will be on display at the centre of Australia's cultural capital, at AMPA in Melbourne," says Arts Centre Melbourne CEO Karen Quinlan AM.
For throwback music fans, there's no shortage of attractions. Think Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst's beloved drum kit, the maracas used by renowned entertainer, singer and songwriter Peter Allen in 1977 to perform "I Go To Rio", and the Grammy Award won by Helen Reddy for her Billboard chart-topping anthem, "I Am Woman". And for Nick Cave admirers, you can get a peek at his personal visual journal compiled in 1987.
Boots worn by Dein Perry in Tap Dogs, 1990s. Australian Performing Arts Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne.
First Nations performers are also well-represented, with ENCORE! putting a spotlight on a custom-made vest worn by Archie Roach. Plus, Rites — the first collaboration between Australia's leading indigenous-led performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, and The Australian Ballet — is recognised through the inclusion of celebrated dancer Russell Page's costume. With dozens more objects to explore, each with its place in Australian performance arts history, expect wall-to-wall nostalgia.
"Countless performers have contributed to making Australia's cultural landscape what it is today, and this exhibition aims to celebrate them," says Quinlan. "Some featured objects have never been on display to the public before, so this is the first chance people will have to witness those extraordinary pieces of our history."
Archie Roach at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, 2021. Photograph by Lisa Businovski. Courtesy of the Archie Roach Foundation
ENCORE! runs from Wednesday, September 16, 2026–Sunday, May 9, 2027 at Australian Museum of Performing Arts, Arts Centre Melbourne. Head to the website for more information.
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Top image: Hugh Jackman as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz, 2006. Photograph by Jeff Busby. Courtesy of Jeff Busby.