Potter Museum of Art reopens with major Indigenous exhibition

After a transformative redevelopment, the University of Melbourne’s Potter Museum of Art is reopening its doors with a landmark exhibition and an exciting new culinary addition on the way.

Opening on May 30 to coincide with National Reconciliation Week, the exhibition 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art is the centrepiece of the revitalised museum’s relaunch. Curated by Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton AO, Senior Curator Judith Ryan AM, and Associate Curator Shanysa McConville, the exhibition will run until November 23 and offers a sweeping, ambitious view of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.

With more than 450 artworks – 400 by Indigenous artists – drawn from the university’s collection and 193 loans from public and private collections, the exhibition aims to confront Australia’s colonial past while celebrating the enduring cultural and artistic contributions of First Nations peoples. Works by acclaimed artists such as William Barak, Emily Kam Kngwarray, Destiny Deacon, and Yhonnie Scarce sit alongside new commissions by leading Indigenous artists.

“These works bear testament to 65,000 years of knowledge and innovation,” said curators Judith Ryan and Shanysa McConville.

“They map out a conceptual and historical landscape that charts both creative brilliance and cultural resistance.”

The museum’s bold reopening also includes a suite of newly commissioned works from artists including Brett Leavy, Julie Gough, and Vicki West, who use media ranging from photorealistic animation to kelp sculptures to challenge colonial narratives and revitalise cultural knowledge.

Beyond the galleries, visitors will soon be able to experience Residence – a new on-site restaurant set to open in winter 2025. Helmed by hospitality veterans Nathen Doyle and Cameron Earl, the space will operate as a day-to-night destination with a unique rotating “Chef in Residence” format, offering a platform for culinary creativity tied to the museum's cultural program.

The reopening follows extensive renovations by Wood Marsh Architecture, supported by The Ian Potter Foundation and Lady Primrose Potter AC. The result is a purpose-built space that marries striking design with expanded educational facilities and state-of-the-art exhibition spaces.

University Vice-Chancellor Professor Emma Johnston AO described the exhibition and reopening as part of a broader truth-telling initiative. “This is an important moment in the cultural life of the University and the city,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to confront the past and amplify Indigenous voices through art, dialogue, and education.”

The exhibition is supported by a comprehensive education program, including new curriculum resources developed in partnership with the University’s Ngarrngga Project, ensuring the stories and significance of Indigenous art are integrated into schools and universities well beyond the show’s run.

The Potter Museum of Art, located at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus, reopens on May 30. Entry to the exhibition is free. A new chapter for the museum – and Australian art history – is officially under way.