Right up there with the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City, the Qin dynasty’s Terracotta Warriors aren’t just one of China’s greatest cultural treasures – they’re a wonder of the world. Now, Aussies have a chance to see part of the 8,000-strong army in an exclusive exhibition at Perth’s WA Museum Boola Bardip. Running from June 28, 2025 to February 22, 2026, Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Empire is set to make history as the largest museum exhibition Western Australia has ever seen – and you’ll want to catch it before it marches home to China.
For more than 2,000 years, this life-sized army stood guard at the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, in Shaanxi province. Their existence remained a secret until 1974, when unsuspecting farmers digging a well struck archaeological gold.
A rare delegation of eight Terracotta Army figures is marching into Perth for this exclusive exhibition – including a general, an armoured infantryman, a charioteer officer and a kneeling archer – plus a seated attendant and a saddled horse. Sure, eight out of 8,000 warriors feels a little measly, but ten is the maximum number of Terracotta figures China loans internationally at any one time – so we should feel pretty lucky!
Joining the warriors are a whopping 225-odd treasures from ancient China, the majority of which have never been seen in Australia before. Almost half of these artefacts have never left China, with highlights including a lifelike bronze swan crafted using ancient lost-wax casting techniques, a 50-kilogram ceremonial bell and four recently excavated gold ornaments that will make their global debut in Perth.
Enhanced with brand-new immersive multimedia experiences, Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor will be unlike any Terracotta Warrior exhibition the world has ever seen. It will be on display at the WA Museum Boola Bardip from June 28, 2025 to February 22, 2026, in what is being billed as the boldest museum exhibition Western Australia has hosted to date.
For the first time ever, the museum is offering season passes, allowing visitors to return as often as they like throughout the entire exhibition run. General admission is $30 for adults and $15 for kids aged five to 15, while season passes will set you back $90. WA Museum Boola Bardip has also curated a program of special events: think tea-and-talk sessions on Thursdays, after-hours performances on Fridays, hands-on workshops over the weekend and family-friendly fun every Sunday. You can find out more about Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor here.