Six Extinctions

Tyrannosaurus Rex roaring against a stormy sky

A mass extinction is defined by 75% or more of the Earth’s species being wiped out in a short period of geological time.

Six Extinctions delves into ‘The Big Five’ events which drastically reshaped life on Earth: the Ordovician, Devonian, Permian, Triassic and Cretaceous extinctions.

Each historical event was driven by geological and environmental factors like volcanic activity, meteor impacts and climate shifts. These extinction events devastated ecosystems but also paved the way for new evolutionary adaptations.

The exhibition, developed by Gondwana Studios, also examines the ongoing Holocene extinction event—the Sixth Extinction in which we now live—driven largely by human activities such as habitat destruction, climate change and pollution.

Yet, Six Extinctions also offers hope. Through highlighting conservation success stories, the exhibition demonstrates that concerted human effort can still make a difference in preserving biodiversity and restoring Earth’s ecosystems.

Museum at Inveresk, 2 Invermay Road

Opening 15 March 2025 — 17 August 2025

Ticket sales from January 2025.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live, the Stoney Creek Nation, made up of at least three clans - Tyerenotepanner; Panninher and Lettermairrener. The Stoney Creek Nation clans lived along the riverways in harmony with the seasons for several thousand generations, and today they are remembered as the Traditional Owners of this land. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this website contains images of people who have died.