Today the beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough turns 100, with Sydney celebrating the milestone in the most fitting place possible, the Australian Museum. An institution that has shared a long-standing connection with Attenborough, built on decades of wonder and discovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been completely overwhelmed by birthday greetings, from preschool groups to care home residents and countless individuals and families of all ages,\u201d Attenborough said in an audio message released on Thursday night. \u201cI simply can\u2019t reply to each of you separately, but I would like to thank you all most sincerely for your kind messages,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Despite the famous figure, what many Australians might not know is that for over four decades, Attenborough has had a subtle yet lasting presence in Sydney.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since the early 1980s, Attenborough had lectured at the Australian Museum, visited its fossil collections in Canowindra, and drawn on its research for some of his later documentary work. Such as filming at the Museum\u2019s Lizard Island Research Station for his Great Barrier Reef documentary series.<\/p>\n
Over the years, Attenborough\u2019s visits have become a recurring presence throughout the Museum\u2019s history.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the Museum celebrated its 190th anniversary in 2017, it honoured that decades\u2011long connection by officially naming him as its Lifetime Patron. During that specific visit, Attenborough had described the Museum as holding the extraordinary responsibility of preserving one of the world\u2019s earliest systematic collections of animals, plants, and people, a legacy he believed mattered not just in Australia, but for the world.<\/p>\n
That same year, the Museum paid tribute in a way true to its scientific roots by naming a newly identified Tasmanian semi\u2011slug genus after him: Attenborougharion. A nod not just to his influence, but to his ability to draw attention to species most people overlook.<\/p>\n
An enduring legacy across the natural world<\/p>\n
True to that long relationship, the Museum is celebrating his 100th this weekend with a program that echoes his love of the natural world. Visitors can explore Bloodsuckers: Nature\u2019s Vampires free of charge from 8\u201310 May. An exhibition that dives into the biology and ecological importance of creatures like leeches, ticks, mosquitoes, and vampire bats. An exhibition that feels unmistakably Attenborough, with it being full of science and curiosity about the often missed creatures.<\/p>\n
In addition, the Museum\u2019s main hall is hosting activity stations where visitors can write birthday messages or draw pictures that will be later sent directly to him. Archive footage of Attenborough discussing his long connection to Australia and the institution will also be on display.<\/p>\n
As he reaches his centenary, the Museum is also nearing its 200th anniversary this year, a parallel that reflects their long\u2011shared history. <\/p>\n
Ultimately, his birthday is about more than honouring a remarkable figure. It\u2019s about celebrating the curiosity, discovery, and care for the natural world that defined both Attenborough\u2019s legacy and the Museum\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n