  Over the last decade Galactic planetary nebula discoveries have entered a
golden age due to the emergence of high sensitivity, high resolution
narrow-band surveys of the Galactic plane. These have been coupled with access
to complimentary, deep, multi-wavelength surveys across near-IR, mid-IR and
radio regimes in particular from both ground-based and space-based telescopes.
These have provided powerful diagnostic and discovery capabilities. In this
review these advances are put in the context of what has gone before, what we
are uncovering now and through the window of opportunity that awaits in the
future. The astrophysical potential of this brief but key phase of late stage
stellar evolution is finally being realised.
