Think about how the City of Adelaide has changed over time. What do you dream it might become in the future? 

‘Our Changing City’ is a collaborative artwork created by more than 300 students during DreamBIG Festival. Drop in to the Migration Museum these school holidays and contribute your own unique ideas using recycled materials.

From pet hotels and waterparks to geothermal energy skyscrapers and castles to fortify against a zombie apocalypse, anything you imagine is possible in our city of the future!

Open every day, 10am-5pm.

The LEGO® Trail is back these school holidays at the Migration Museum!

Our wonderful city is constantly evolving. Explore how migrants and multicultural groups of the past and today have influenced and inspired Adelaide in art, landscape, sport, culture, food and design!

Visit the museum and search for the LEGO® figures hidden in the galleries. Collect all the letters, spell out the secret word and enter the draw to win one of three awesome LEGO® prizes.

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorise, or endorse this site.

Take a personal journey with two artists as they explore the essence of Chinese culture. 

Adelaide artists, Siew Siang Tay and Con Polychronis, explore the richness and nuances of the diverse people who shape Chinese culture, past and present. Ordinary folk come alive, but beyond the arresting eyes and the fascination of past artisans are stories of perseverance, survival, hope and joy.

This combination of universality and distinctness is what the artists try to capture, as they invite you to see and sense the vignettes that speak to the essence of the human experience.

Siew Siang Tay is a Malaysian-Chinese migrant who moved to Australia in 1993, and Con Polychronis is the son of Greek migrants who came to Australia in 1954. Both bring to their work a strong sense of cultural heritage and the human condition.

Temporary exhibition 
26 July 2025 – 26 January 2026
Free admission.

Peking Opera Actor Backstage
Siew Siang Tay
Oil on canvas

Itinerant Barber
Con Polychronis
Oil and cold wax on canvas

Minding dìdi
Siew Siang Tay
Oil on Canvas
Reference photo: Ernst Krause

Sêrxü boy
Siew Siang Tay
Oil on canvas
Reference photo: Paul Cowell

Hard Wood Furniture Maker
Con Polychronis
Oil and cold wax on canvas

Face to Face is an exciting intergenerational art project that connects aged care residents and school students. The project involved meetings between students and residents which
sparked conversations to inspire the artworks to capture and celebrate the residents’ cultures, personalities, lives and stories.

Both students and residents produced their own interpretations of the same portrait using mixed media techniques to express their personal connections. The portraits incorporate
elements such as symbols, images, colour and textures to represent the residents’ experiences, memories and identity.

The exhibition will include audio and visual elements that will transport visitors through the heart-warming moments of connection throughout the program.

Free entry.

This exhibition is presented in partnership with Southern Cross Care (SA, NT, and VIC) Inc.

A pop-up exhibition in the foyer of the Migration Museum features treasures from the archives of the Croatian Club Adelaide. On display as part of the Croatian History Festival Adelaide 2025, the Club’s activities in the past and the present are explored through photos and documents.

The Croatian Club Adelaide was the first of its kind in Australia. The founders sought to create a home for South Australian Croatians. From the outset, the Club embraced every opportunity to promote Croatian identity and culture to the wider public. It served as a model for Croatians in other states. The Club spawned groups catering to different needs and interests, beginning with Croatia Soccer Club in 1952. The ethnic school, folkloric ensemble, women’s organisation, and radio program, among others, followed. Most remain active today.

Join our expert Visitor Engagement Officers here at the Migration Museum for a fascinating tour of the history of migration throughout South Australia.

Gain a deeper understanding of the migrant experience, migrant stories, and the many cultures that have helped diversify our state. Learn about personal stories and objects displayed throughout our galleries.

$10 per person

Upcoming dates:

Thursday 7 August at 11am
Thursday 11 September at 1pm

Tour runs for approximately 60 mins.

Our Changing City was a program run by the History Trust of South Australian for the 2025 DreamBIG Children’s Festival. This exhibition is a celebration of the work produced by the students who participated in the program.

Building on the festival’s 50th anniversary theme, ‘I was, I am, I will be’, Our Changing City examined how the City of Adelaide has changed over time. Students learnt how colonisation has changed the home of the Kaurna people, how Kaurna knowledge shaped Colonel Light’s plan, looked at pictures of the city throughout history, and dreamt about what Adelaide might become in the future.

Created by more than 300 students, this collaborative artwork uses recycled materials to create a shared vision of the City of Adelaide’s future.

Temporary Exhibition until 20th July 2025

Refugee Week – Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community

SA Refugee Week is one of South Australia’s best recognised annual community celebrations. Throughout June there will be an array of exhibitions, cultural events, forums and community days that celebrate the achievements of refugees and their contribution to South Australia, while also raising awareness around the refugee experiences worldwide.

Join us to celebrate Refugee Week at the Migration Museum.

Explore our discovery trail highlighting refugee experiences from SA’s diverse communities.

Free entry during museum opening hours 10am – 5pm

Discover more here https://www.refugeeweek.org.au/

Strengthening Community Connections Through Film, Music, and Dance 

Do you have a passion for Arabic music and dance?
The Arabic Language and Culture Association of South Australia and The History Trust of South Australia invite Arabic speaking South Australians, and any South Australian residents interested in Arabic culture to celebrate and connect with Arabic music and dance.  We would love to hear from you!  

The project is supported by a City of Adelaide Arts and Cultural Grant. 

Expression of Interest open until Sunday 27 July 2025 

Submit your EOI

Storytelling session 

The Arabic Language and Culture Association of SA (ALCASA) and the History Trust of South Australia are hosting the second Community Workshop to hear stories about personal experiences connected to Arabic music and dance. The stories may become part of a pop-up exhibition at the Hafle: End of Project Celebration event on Sunday 21 September, or will be shared online.  

Join us on Friday 4 July, 5.30 – 8.30pm at the 5EBI Community Radio for the second Storytelling session. Assisted through guiding questions, you may wish to present your story or get inspired by listening to other stories and learn more about Arabic music and dance. Start the sessions with Arabic coffee and tea while listening to some Arabic tunes. 

Register

Read more about the project and associated events: https://alcasa.org.au/project/arabic-arts-alive-2025/

Join us for a guided discovery of significant migrants who relocated to South Australia and learn about their connections to the area surrounding the Migration Museum. Stop at important sites around the city and find out about the cultural people connected to these places.

Hear stories about influential migrants and what they have contributed to our state. Stroll down part of the Jubilee 150-year Walkway and learn about the people featured on the plaques.

$15 per person 

Upcoming dates:

Wednesday 30 July at 11am
Friday 29 August at 1pm
Wednesday 17 September at 11am

Tour group meets at the Migration Museum, 82 Kintore Avenue, Adelaide SA 5000

*Tour is subject to weather conditions and runs for approximately 60-90 minutes.

**To participate in this tour, you must be able to walk an extensive distance, stand for long periods and undertake a substantial number of steps.