Western Australian Museum

The state museum for Western Australia, the Western Australian Museum is spread over six sites to house its collection of over 4.7million items.

The museum aims to reflect upon and document the rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage of Western Australia. With exhibitions in the fields of zoology, earth and planetary sciences, anthropology, archaeology and history, it seems that the museum achieves its goal.

Along with a diverse array of permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Western Australian Museum prides itself on its research. Permanent exhibitions include WA Land and People, documenting Western Australia from dinosaurs to now; Katta Djinoong, depicting the culture and history of the Aboriginal people of Western Australia; and an exhibition investigating the biodiversity of life in the waters off the state’s coast.

Three of the museum’s six sites are located in Perth. The Perth branch is located in the cultural centre, and the Maritime Museum and Shipwreck Galleries are located to the north in Freemantle. The Maritime and Shipwreck Galleries, as the names suggest, are spaces dedicated largely related to life in or on the water. One of the most popular exhibits is the Australia II yacht, which famously won the Americas Cup in 1983.

Practical Info

All three Perth based museum sites are open from 9:30-5pm daily. Admission to the Perth and Shipwrecks campus’ are free, though donations are appreciated. Basic entry to the Maritime Museum costs $10 for adults and $3 for children, with add ons for specific experiences. The Perth museum is located within a few minutes’ walk from the Perth Train Station. Both Shipwrecks and the Maritime Museum are located within walking distance of Freemantle Train Station.