DIVA, an acclaimed international exhibition developed by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) celebrating some of history’s most provocative and powerful divas, will open the new Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) on 11 December 2025.
An Australian exclusive, DIVA will feature more than 250 objects including 60 spectacular costumes, jewellery, photography, art and music drawn from the V&A’s Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne’s own Australian Performing Arts Collection and loaned items from across the world.
On display from 11 December 2025 – 26 April 2026, the exhibition will showcase the creativity, ambition and resilience of many of the world’s best-known divas, from 19th century opera goddesses and silent movie stars to Golden Age Hollywood legends and today’s global megastars and pop icons.
The exhibition features a megawatt roll call of legendary names including Maria Callas, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, Dame Nellie Melba, Grace Jones, Cher, Prince, Tina Turner, Elton John, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, P!nk, Bjork, Billie Eilish and more.
The exhibition explores the phenomenal ability of the diva to transform and inspire the world around them. Delving into the origins of the term ‘diva’ – meaning goddess in Italian – the exhibition reflects on how the meaning of the word has been subverted and embraced over time, and how the label has been reclaimed by performers, their fans and wider society.
From exquisite couture gowns and showstopping costumes to intimate personal items, visitors will journey through some of history’s most magnetic performers and consider how the very idea of “diva” has been redefined over time. Charting the origin and rise of the diva, from creative subversions, backlash and reign in modern times, DIVA invites visitors to go beyond the headlines to witness the artistry and adversity of these showstopping performers, fabulous agitators and agents of change, in all their glory.
Australia’s contributions to pop culture history and ‘DIVAdom’ will be explored through objects from Arts Centre Melbourne’s celebrated Australian Performing Arts Collection. From Dame Nellie Melba to Peter Allen, Marcia Hines to Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John to Kate Miller-Heidke, Chrissy Amphlett to Dame Edna Everage, Australia’s divas will be out in force. Other Australian divas featured in the exhibition include Dame Joan Sutherland, Jessica Mauboy and Amy Taylor (Amyl and the Sniffers).
V&A Senior Curator Kate Bailey said she was thrilled DIVA would be the inaugural exhibition of the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.
“Today the word diva holds a myriad of meanings. At the heart of this exhibition is a story of iconic performers who with creativity, courage and ambition have challenged the status quo and used their voice and their art to redefine and reclaim the diva. We are thrilled to be working with the Australian Museum of Performing Arts and that this powerful story is being shared around the world. Viva La Diva!” Bailey said.
Arts Centre Melbourne CEO Karen Quinlan AM said DIVA would captivate visitors with an incredible display about the power of performers and their impact on our cultural history.
“DIVA is the perfect exhibition to launch our Australian Museum of Performing Arts. The V&A’s deeply thoughtful and exciting exploration of the concept of the diva will enthral visitors and I know they will come from near and far to see it. This exhibition and the Australian Museum of Performing Arts bring to life our long-held vision to showcase the rich theatrical legacy of Australia and beyond.”
Among the exhibition’s standout highlights are iconic garments that have graced legendary performers across decades. Visitors can marvel at the stage ensemble worn by Maria Callas as the title role in the Covent Garden Opera Company’s 1952 production of Norma, alongside the corseted crimson Christian Dior dress donned by Vivien Leigh as Paola in Jean Giraudoux’s Duel of Angels at the Apollo Theatre in 1958. The display also features Marilyn Monroe’s fringed black dress from her unforgettable portrayal of Sugar Kane Kowalczyk in Some Like It Hot (1959), and Ella Fitzgerald’s canary yellow jumpsuit from the 1960s and 70s.
The collection continues with Whitney Houston’s striking floor-length black and gold Marc Bouwer gown, worn as she accepted three Grammy Awards in 1994 for The Bodyguard soundtrack—including Song of the Year for “I Will Always Love You.” More contemporary pieces include Lady Gaga’s periwinkle blue Valentino couture ballgown from the 2019 Golden Globes, Billie Eilish’s Stella McCartney-designed Glastonbury ensemble from the same year, Kylie Minogue’s red outfit from her 2023 “Padam Padam” music video, and Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers in her playful whoopee cushion outfit from the 2025 Cartoon Darkness Tour at Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
Also on display will be ephemera from ‘DIVAdom’ including posters, song sheets and handwritten lyrics as well as personal objects and accessories. The voice of the diva is amplified by a sonic experience designed by world-leading sound designer Gareth Fry. An iconic and emotional soundtrack plays throughout the exhibition and includes key music by Maria Callas, Jessye Norman, Aretha Franklin and Josephine Baker to Dolly Parton, Adele, Prince, Ella Fitzgerald, Sade, Beyoncé and Madonna.
The second exhibition to be held at AMPA will celebrate 50 years of the Australian Performing Arts Collection. With fifty iconic objects selected to celebrate five decades of collecting, ENCORE! will be on display from 10 June – 11 Oct 2026. Key objects include the L’Amour sign from Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin’s production of La Bohème (Opera Australia, 1990), Tony Tripp’s Summer of the Seventeeth Doll set model (Melbourne Theatre Company, 1995), Ella Havelka’s pointe shoes (The Australian Ballet) and Dame Nellie Melba’s cloak from Lohengrin, circa 1891.
Through treasured objects, iconic performers and a rich theatrical legacy, Arts Centre Melbourne’s newest venue, the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA), brings stories of the stage to life. AMPA celebrates the breadth of Australia’s extraordinary performance history through captivating exhibitions, while also featuring the best from international institutions.
For more information, and tickets to DIVA, visit artscentremelbourne.com.au
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