The last time the Terracotta Warriors stood in Brisbane was 1983. Next winter, they’re back. Terracotta Warriors: Immortality & Empire opens at Queensland Museum Kurilpa bringing the imposing, life-sized clay soldiers to the Sunshine State.
The figures, which date to the Qin dynasty (221 to 207 BCE), were buried with Qin Shihuang, China’s first emperor, to guard him in the afterlife, and stayed underground until their discovery in 1974. Many consider them one of the great archaeological finds of the 20th century.
What to expect
The exhibition brings together more than 120 artefacts and replicas from China, including eight monumental terracotta soldier figures. You’ll also see animals, armour, tools and weapons made from terracotta, bronze, stone, gold and other materials.
Lighting, projection and spatial design guide you through the story of the Warriors, from their spiritual origins to the forms they took in the empire that followed. Along the way, the show looks at ancient China’s turbulent politics, its spiritual landscape and the complexity of its craft.
Queensland Museum CEO Renai Grace said some of the artefacts have never been seen in the Southern Hemisphere. The exhibition will be shown only in Brisbane and at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek called it a rare chance for locals and visitors to see an ancient treasure in a Queensland-exclusive presentation. The state government supports the showing as part of its arts and cultural strategy, Queensland Time to Shine.
Practical information
The Terracotta Warriors will stand guard over Brisbane from Friday, June 11 to Sunday, October 31.
First release tickets and a strictly limited number of season passes are now on sale and you can buy them on the Queensland Museum website. They start at $30.50 for adults, and $19.90 for kids up to 15 years old.
đź“ŤQueensland Museum Kurilpa, Corner of Grey and Melbourne St, South Brisbane
