Laverne Cox, Marilyn Monroe, Sakuran and Winnie Harlow
See below for image credits*

Presented with Visit Victoria and proudly supported by Porsche Cars Australia and Creative Victoria

Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion

Melbourne Winter Masterpieces® 2023

Exhibition

This event has ended and tickets are no longer available.

Tickets

Full, Member & Concession

$10

Student

$10

Child ( under 16)

FREE

Group (6+)

$22

Flexi

$35

Blak Member

FREE

When

5 Apr – 1 Oct 2023

10am – 5pm daily

See below for additional related events

Trailblazers. Binary-busters. Agitators and instigators. On and off screen.

Through iconic stories, characters and moments from over 120 years of moving image history, Goddess celebrates the women and gender-transcending superstars who shaped their own roles, took creative control and fought a system that tried to exploit them.

From the swagger of Mae West and glamour of Anna May Wong to the powerful punch of Pam Grier, this ACMI-curated exhibition salutes the groundbreaking achievements and impact of the screen’s leading gender revolutionists. Too often reduced to the status of bombshell, starlet and screen siren, these goddesses remain far more than stereotypes.

Featuring never-before-seen costumes, original sketches, interactive experiences and cinematic treasures, including iconic outfits worn by Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Geena Davis and Margot Robbie, Goddess honours the artists who challenged narratives, defied expectations and transcended tropes.

Whether it’s Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Michelle Yeoh or Zendaya, today’s goddesses unapologetically occupy spaces and roles that shatter glass ceilings, project solidarity and reframe society through essential stories, singular voices and complex characters. They’ve fought convention and an industry built to confine them with collective power and fearless creativity to embody their own heroes and forge their own paths.

Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion is curated by Bethan Johnson, ACMI and was developed with academics from Swinburne University of Technology: Jessica Balanzategui, Liam Burke, and Joanna McIntyre.

Where

Gallery 4, Lower Ground
ACMI, Fed Square

Plan your visit

Extended hours

Open on select Thursdays til 11.30pm – see our Goddess Nights program.

Not an ACMI Member yet?

Get a range of discounts and invitations to exclusive previews.

Memberships are FREE for concession card holders.

See Membership options

Schools & Teachers

Looking to book an exhibition visit for your school?

See education events

Goddess Weekend | Sat 2 and Sun 2 September 2023

Goddess Weekend

Sat 2 & Sun 3 Sep 2023

Join us for a jam-packed weekend of power, glamour and rebellion at ACMI, with FREE live music, pop-up performances, workshops, screenings and more.

Find out more
Goddess Nights - event social

Late nights

7pm – 11.30pm on select Thursdays

Experience the collective power of Goddess after dark with a dynamic, diverse and shapeshifting program of femme-focused live music and performance, food and beverages, and extended retail hours.

Find out more
ACMI Lens being used on an installation in Goddess - photo by Eugene Hyland

Take the exhibition home with you

Collect works from Goddess with your free Lens device. Revisit your personally curated online collection for surprising insights and deeper context.

HOW DOES THE LENS WORK?
A couple checks out consumes from The Last Emperor in The Story of the Moving Image (image credit: Phoebe Powell)

ACMI Membership

Get a range of discounts and invitations to exclusive previews.

Memberships are FREE for concession card holders.

SEE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

Goddess events

There are no upcoming related events at this time.

Goddess Film Programs

Goddess product range

For schools & teachers

ACMI Aerial Shot - Phoebe Powell

Plan your visit

Visitor guidelines, information on accessibility, amenities, transport, dining options and more.

Start planning
Hero gnocchi - Jake Roden

Looking for dining options?

Our restaurant, cafe and bar in the heart of Fed Square features a seasonally driven menu developed by acclaimed Melbourne chef Karen Martini.

BOOK A TABLE & FIND OUT MORE

Presenting Partner

Lead Exhibition Partner

Major Technology Partner

Major Research Partner

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Major Academic Partner

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Supporting Partners

Media Partners

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*Image credits

Left to right:

Laverne Cox Paper Magazine (Yellow Background). Photo: Joshua Kissi, Courtesy Atrbute

Marilyn Monroe. Photo: Milton H. Greene © 2022 Joshua Greene. Marilyn Monroe™; Rights of Publicity and Persona Rights: The Estate of Marilyn Monroe LLC. marilynmonroe.com

© 2007 SAKURAN Film Committee © Moyoco Anno/Kodansha

Winnie Harlow – Arms Above Head (Photographer: Albert Sanchez). Courtesy Albert Sanchez, Inc.