Antopia at Melbourne Museum

The small but mighty ant has been the subject of fascination for centuries, captivating scientists, artists and curious kids alike. From their unique social order to their miniature feats of engineering, these extraordinary insects offer a profound insight into the natural world – and our place within it.

Antopia is a new exhibition at Melbourne Museum that invites visitors to shrink down to the size of ants and experience a day in the life of an ant colony. An immersive digital adventure for all ages, Antopia combines installation, interactive projections, atmospheric soundscapes and stunning imagery to explore the wondrous world of nature’s little giants.

Developed in-house by Museums Victoria, Antopia centres on the invisible senses ants use to communicate. Visitors can explore ants’ unique pheromone trails and chemical signals that act like the colony’s very own GPS system to organise, navigate and harmonise life in the colony. Following these trails, visitors immerse themselves in the inner workings of this underground universe while observing worker ants, participating in food cultivation on a fungus farm, joining scouts on an outdoor expedition, tending to baby ants in the nursery and even entering the queen’s chamber.

It’s open throughout the summer school holidays and even after, with special activations and activities like Tiny Tours, creative workshops, and interactive performances from Polyglot Theatre, featuring giant ants as big as humans.

Tickets are on sale now. Museum entry is included in the ticket price.

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