Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel exhibition is coming to Sydney!

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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The Italian Renaissance has just arrived on our doorstep.

It’s no lie that city-dwelling creatives have access to an incredible collection of art galleries in Sydney. But unfortunately, viewing some of the world’s most respected works often involves a long-haul flight and too much annual leave. Until now, with live entertainment platform Fever bringing Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition back Down Under.

What is the exhibition all about?

Ask any art lover and they’ll agree – Michelangelo is one of the biggest names in the art world. The Italian architect, sculptor, painter and poet worked out of Florence during the High Renaissance – considered the peak of artistic achievement and influence in Italy. Despite his active career unfolding over five centuries ago, from the late 1480s until his death in 1564, he remains a stalwart of creativity and inspiration to modern artists today.

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
Renaissance painter Michelangelo is one of the most influential artists in history.

The frescoes Michelangelo painted onto the ceilings of Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel between 1508 and 1512 are arguably his most notable and influential artworks. The intimate project took him five years to complete and has become one of the world’s most acclaimed masterpieces, instantly recognisable by its intricate motifs of prophets, clouds and hands poised to touch. The frescoes were so beloved that Pope Paul III invited Michelangelo back to paint the chapel’s west wall between 1534 and 1541.

Presented by Fever, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition brings this marvellous feat back to Australian shores after three long years. The international tour debuted in Adelaide back in 2022 and has since gone on to dazzle culture vultures everywhere from Paris and Berlin to Shanghai and Chicago. And now, it’s Sydney’s turn.

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
Admire 34 ceiling frescoes intricately replicated from the Sistine Chapel.

While the exhibition obviously cannot showcase the original works, which remain major drawcards to Rome’s Vatican City, it brings them to life in a completely new way. Inside the Fever Pavilion at Sydney Showground, 34 of Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes from the Sistine Chapel, including famed pieces like The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment, will be displayed to the public. No scaffolding, no crowding and no passport required.

Each painting has been recreated true-to-size, using an advanced printing method that mirrors every texture, colour and detail. What’s more, Sydneysiders will be able to view the frescoes up close, a luxury not often afforded to ceiling work. Each piece will be positioned at eye-level, so you won’t have to spend hours craning your neck to look upwards.

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
The immersive art exhibition will be open five days a week.

Informative signage and audio guides will also be available, which serve to further immerse you in Michelangelo’s creativity and imagination. It’s all self-guided, too, so you can take in each piece at your own pace. Afterwards, make a day out of it and head to Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience next, also hosted by Fever at Sydney Olympic Park. It’s truly one of the city’s most happening precincts, with plenty of surrounding parklands, riverside walks, cafes and restaurants to explore, too.

The details

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition opens Friday, 29 August, in Sydney Olympic Park. Held within the Fever Pavilion at Sydney Showground, it’s open five days a week: Wednesday, Thursday (10am–4pm), Friday (10am–5pm), Saturday (9am–5pm) and Sunday (9am–4pm). The experience runs for approximately 60–90 minutes.

Those wishing to attend can sign up for the waitlist now, which provides more information regarding tickets and prices. Children must be eight or older to attend. Fever Pavilion is a wheelchair accessible venue, with paid parking available onsite. Public transport is also nearby – you can catch the train, bus or ferry to Sydney Olympic Park.

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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This stretch of Sydney beaches topped the annual Best Australian Beaches list

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    Bate Bay’s sweep of beaches has been crowned Australia’s best for 2026, placing Sutherland Shire in the spotlight as a top coastal destination just south of Sydney’s CBD.

    The beaches fringing Bate Bay – Cronulla, North Cronulla, Wanda, Elouera and Greenhills – have topped Tourism Australia’s 2026 list of best Australian beaches (as curated by Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer). For locals, it’s less revelation, more recognition.

    The mood shifts from the moment you step off the T4 train service from Central to Cronulla and catch a glimpse of the ocean. At dawn, the Esplanade is already buzzing with regulars, and by mid-morning, parents have staked out a toasty spot on Cronulla Beach where excited toddlers clamber over rocks, and the Jellybean swim squad at Oak Park have donned their bright pink caps while singing Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.

    By the afternoon, towels are being collected from across the sand as visitors wander back to Cronulla in loose formation.

    North Cronulla beach
    Dive into the world’s best beaches.

    That’s the thing about Bate Bay beaches. This isn’t a story about a single beach. This long, uninterrupted sweep of sand and sea, where you can walk for kilometres without breaking stride, is not just enjoyed over summer; it’s a year-round destination. Here, Cronulla’s buzz gives way to Wanda’s wild edges, before stretching out to the quieter reaches of Greenhills.

    But while Bate Bay’s beaches may have taken top honours in the 2026 Best Australian Beaches list, they’re only part of the drawcard. Sutherland Shire stacks up as a full-spectrum coastal escape, where good food, national park adventures and on-the-water experiences sit within easy reach of the shoreline. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or stretching out a stay, here’s how to make the most of Cronulla beyond the sand, sea and surf.

    Beyond the beaches

    Dining

    the dining room at Pippis Cronulla
    Enjoy a sundowner by the sea at Pippis Cronulla.

    The Sutherland Shire dining scene delivers from early morning to late at night with a mix of vibrant cafes, bars and pubs. Start your day at Grind Espresso, where the coffee comes strong and fast. From there, drift towards HAM for pastries, best eaten buttery warm.   

    By midday, locals linger across sun-lit tables. Loaf and Next Door appeal to the surfers who come in for snacks after chasing waves. Blackwood’s Pantry and The Press are also popular for breakfast and lunch, while Pilgrim’s continues to hold a special place in the hearts of vegans.

    Newer arrivals signal where Cronulla is heading: Homer Rogue Taverna is being hailed as one of the best restaurants in Cronulla, with the confidence that comes from understanding what locals want. Ask a local to reveal their favourite restaurant for a special occasion, and it’ll likely be Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare, Yalla Sawa or Alphabet Street. Summer Salt, Sealevel, Benny’s, Bobbys and Pippis are a few of the best waterfront restaurants in the Shire.

    Finally, when most places are winding down, Duke’s Providore shifts gears to become Duke’s After Hours – a low-lit romantic spot perfect for a date night. Parc Pavilion, Northies Cronulla and bars The Blind Bear, Las Chicas and Low & Lofty’s are also part of Cronulla’s identity.

    Visit Bundeena

    Bundeena Ferry Wharf
    Catch a ferry to Bundeena.

    A short ferry ride from Cronulla, Bundeena offers a counterpoint to Cronulla’s mighty surf beaches. If Cronulla is the Shire’s social heart, Bundeena – or Bundenesia, as it’s affectionately known – is the place to go to exhale and unwind.

    Hop on the ferry from Cronulla, and within 30 minutes, you’ll be inhaling the eucalyptus-scented air. Check the creative pulse of the local community by timing your visit with the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail on the first Sunday of every month.

    One of the best things to do in Bundeena is paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Follow the five-kilometre Jibbon Beach Loop Track that leads past quiet coves to ancient Indigenous rock art, or simply find a stretch of pearl-white sand to relax on.

    Pristine walking trails

    Royal National Park Cape Baily Walking Track
    Cool off with a coastal stroll.

    Beyond the coastline, Sutherland Shire offers myriad ways to shift gears. Royal National Park – the oldest national park in Australia – sits just minutes from the surf. Clifftop walks trace the edge of the continent, the rugged bushland is threaded with creeks and hidden waterfalls, and a network of tracks rewards those willing to go a little further.

    Take the Coast Track, where the land drops cleanly into the ocean over sheer cliffs that have been stacked together like giant Jenga. Or veer inland, where pockets of forest cool the air and filter the light. It’s a reminder of how close nature sits to the bustle of suburbs in the Sutherland Shire.

    Enjoy whale watching

    humpback whale sighting noosa experiences
    Spot whales from May to October. (Credit: The Edit Suite)

    Twist your binoculars until the ocean is in focus, stretched like a creased blue sheet all around.  Come May, the East Coast becomes the humpback highway. Thousands of whales migrate along this stretch of coastline each year, their movements tracked by keen eyes from vantage points like the Cape Solander platform in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, one of the best places for whale watching in Australia. There’s something quietly thrilling about seeing that first telltale spout or the arc of a breaching body against the vastness of the sea. From June to October, whale-watching cruises depart from Cronulla, offering a closer look at the migration.

    Awards come and go. But places like Cronulla endure because they belong as much to the visitors as they do the early-morning swimmers, walkers and surfers.

    Plan your escape at visitsutherlandshire.com.au.