Museums & Galleries

You may have to travel far and wide, but exploring all West Australia’s culture and heritage has to offer is an experience you won’t forget.

The Art Gallery of Western Australia houses an excellent collection of historical and contemporary works, as well as Indigenous art. The State Art Collection of over fifteen thousand works is regularly rotated, with around ten percent of it displayed at any one time. If you’ve got an eye for colonial art, visit the Centenary Gallery, located in the old Police Court building.

Spread right across the country’s largest state is the West Australian Museum network. With six separate locations, all areas of the state’s history and heritage should be just about covered.

Start at the West Australian Museum in Perth’s cultural centre. Providing an overview of the state’s history and environment, the museum offers a range of permanent and travelling exhibitions. Stand under a full size blue whale skeleton in the marine gallery, or peer at the colourful wings of a tiny butterfly in the insect exhibit.

Winner of the Best New Tourism Development In the 2004 Australian Tourism Awards, the Maritime Museum is a must see. View the original timbers of the Bounty, which have been brought up from the deep where the ship was wrecked in 1629. Or take the kids to see the HMAS Ovens, a real submarine that is part of the museum!

Regional museums are located in Albany, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Each location has its own unique stories and history, from goldmining tales to shipwrecks, the colourful past of these historic towns will capture your heart.