The museum is predicting over 180,000 visitors, at least a third of them from interstate or overseas, will stream through to catch a glimpse of the star exhibits.
The museum is predicting over 180,000 visitors, at least a third of them from interstate or overseas, will stream through to catch a glimpse of the star exhibits.
By Holly Thompson
June 20, 2025 — 4.01pm
It’s a story of emperors and empresses, soldiers and warriors, and everyday members of society – a story that transcends time and place.
That is how the curator of the Perth Museum Boola Bardip’s upcoming global exclusive exhibition has described it – and it’s one she feels “complete excitement” about.
Tonia Eckfeld has worked in China for decades, at universities and making historical documentaries, and specialises in Chinese emperors and the significance of their tombs.
She was the perfect choice to help curate the WA Museum Boola Bardip’s Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor, the largest and most complex exhibition the state has ever seen.
It will feature 230 artefacts, including eight of the famed terracotta warriors themselves. Some of those artefacts were only recently unearthed.
Just under half the pieces that will be on display have never left China and 90 per cent have never been displayed in Australia.
The museum is predicting more than 180,000 visitors will stream through the exhibition to catch a glimpse, with at least 60,000 being interstate or international tourists.
Eckfeld said she was able to look at each piece and not only imagine it in its original context, but see its enduring relevance.
“The exhibition focuses on Qin Shihuang as probably the most iconic figure in Chinese history, but it also focuses on his rise to power, and the aftermath of his reign,” she said.
“There were seven kingdoms which were at war during the Zhou Dynasty and he conquered them all and united them, establishing the first empire, but his dynasty lasted less than 15 years.
“The one after [the Han Dynasty] lasted around 400 years.
“That’s because they inherited a lot of Shihuang’s initiatives while also being more benevolent and frugal, but he really shaped the future of the country.”
Eckfeld said another part of the exhibition was a series of short films in which archaeologists discussed their work, and some of the more recent finds that would be included in the exhibition, to bring the story into the present.
“It has been a colossal effort to pull this all together – I couldn’t even count the number of people needed to make it possible,” she said.
“It’s something I feel complete excitement about, I had a virtual walkthrough of the exhibition the other day and I cannot wait to see it all in person.”
WAtoday was also able to get a sneak peek before the exhibition opens.
The space has been filled with gold and jade artefacts and, of course, terracotta statues including of animals, mythical creatures and people.
The belief was that those statues would follow China’s rulers into the afterlife, providing them with essentials such as protection and food.
The drawcard of the exhibition is the terracotta warriors themselves – one in particular standing out among the rest.
While there are over 8000 statues that make up Shihuang’s terracotta army, just 10 of those statues are considered generals.
One of those generals is now standing guard in Perth.
Arts and Culture Minister Simone McGurk was also given a preview tour of the space and said the general was her favourite piece.
She said she was looking forward to viewing the exhibition once it was completed, with audiovisual elements to transform the space and make the exhibits more immersive.
“There’s a huge multiplier effect that comes with these sorts of exhibitions,” she said.
“Not only is it enriching for us as a state, that we get to see and have an insight into another culture, but it also does attract people into the museum and attract people to Perth and Western Australia.
“It is an incredible collection.”
WA Museum chief executive Alec Coles said the terracotta warriors had travelled to other countries before, but the number of accompanying pieces was “fairly extraordinary”.
The pieces were flown here on two domestic flights, with a cargo flight for the larger objects.
“I’m delighted to say everything arrived here safely,” he said.
“There are so many exquisite items here, and you would expect that my favourite item would be one of the warriors but, in fact, it’s not. It’s this extraordinary bronze swan.
“It came from Qin’s mausoleum itself and as part of preserving his place in the afterlife, he wanted to create gardens, menageries, places of pleasure where he could spend time.”
McGurk said she had “no doubt” that the WA museum leadership team had the capacity to continue to “punch above its weight” and bring other specially curated exhibitions to the state.
Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor will open to the public on June 28.
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Holly Thompson is a journalist with WAtoday, specialising in education.Connect via Twitter or email.
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