The Emperor’s Army in Australia 

China’s Terracotta Warriors arrive at the National Museum of Australia this summer, a 10-minute stroll from Ovolo Canberra. 

Over 2,000 years ago, China’s first emperor was buried with an army of clay soldiers to guard him in the afterlife. From Friday 11 December 2026 to Sunday 2 May 2027, a selection of those warriors stands guard in Canberra, as Terracotta Warriors: Immortality & Empire opens at the National Museum of Australia on Acton Peninsula. 

On loan from China’s Shaanxi province, home to the emperor’s mausoleum near Xi’an, the exhibition brings original warriors together with weapons, armour and exquisite tomb items, some of which have never before come to Australia. Digital displays bring the terracotta army and the world of ancient China to life, while the exhibition explores the mystery of what still lies inside the emperor’s unopened tomb. 

The exhibit’s part of a historic cultural exchange, with the National Museum’s Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters travelling to the National Museum of China as the warriors arrive in Canberra, where they’ll be hosted before they move to Brisbane in mid-2027. Tickets range from A$15 to A$30, and bookings are essential. 

An encounter this ancient calls for an unhurried place to reflect. 

Located just 10 minutes walking from the museum, Ovolo Canberra offers just that, featuring restored timber, mid-century details, and contemporary local art. For those looking to discuss the exhibition over a meal, Monster Kitchen & Bar, boasting shattered terrazzo floors, 1850s oil paintings, 1960s neon, and an original 1950s floral carpet serves seasonal shared plates and cocktails that follow the calendar in a space that feels like a well-travelled friend’s living room. 

Skip the rushed day trip, meet the emperor’s army properly, and make a long weekend of it all at Ovolo Canberra.