Bradfield Senior College Reimagines the Australian Museum in Creative Showcase

Year 11 students at Bradfield Senior College, based at TAFE NSW St Leonards, transformed their campus into an immersive living museum as they presented STEP INSIDE: A Night at the Museum, inspired by the iconic collections and exhibitions of the Australian Museum.

Bradfield has recast senior secondary education, integrating the Higher School Certificate (HSC) with Vocational Education and Training (VET), giving students real-world experience in creative industries.

More than 170 students explored themes of biodiversity, culture and the natural world, working together in creative skills groups to produce impressive works across music, visual arts, dance, drama, film, fashion, poetry, digital art and research for immersive film elements - developed alongside industry professionals.

Drama and visual arts students produced performances and exhibitions exploring environmental resilience, while music students composed original scores for immersive films alongside First Nations composer Troy Russell, Pasifika composer Sisi'uno Helu, teaching artists from TAFE NSW Eora as well as Excelsia University College. The painting and drawing group created artworks celebrating the many illustrators and documenters whose works are featured within the Australian Museum’s collections, while fashion students developed garments from upcycled and natural materials inspired by Australia’s megadiversity.

The exhibition showcase also marks the conclusion of Bradfield Senior College’s TAFE NSW Certificate II in Workplace Skills, a Year 11 project-based learning program across 16-weeks, culminating in a public showcase that mirrors real-world industry practice. Working to a professional creative and operational brief, students deliver a large-scale public event while building technical capability, academic skills, professional portfolios, and industry experience.

Director of Bradfield Senior College, Anna Messariti, said the event celebrates and showcases the students’ extraordinary creativity, talent and capacity to deliver a large-scale project outcome for a notable industry partner such as the Australian Museum.

“It has been incredible to watch students grow in confidence, creativity and capability, as they worked alongside industry partners to bring this ambitious project to life,” Ms Messariti said. “Our Workplace Skills project provides valuable real-world experience, equipping students with the practical, technical, and collaborative skills that they need, for future study and careers in creative industries.”

Director of Experience and Engagement at the Australian Museum, Richard Dilly, acknowledged the quality of the student work.

“Opening our collections, our practices, and our people to Bradfield's students is an investment in two things - the next generation of cultural and creative professionals, and the fresh thinking that keeps a 200-year-old institution on its toes.”