museum [n.]

a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.
- Origin : early 17th century [denoting a university building, specifically one erected at Alexandria by Ptolemy Soter] : via Latin from Greek mouseion ‘seat of the Muses’, based on mousa ‘muse’.

Oxford Dictionaries

This page covers Australian Museums at a national level, with part linking to museums from each state and territory on areas from sport to other cultures, one brilliant virtual museum and portals covering museum collections.

The Second Page looks at World Museums. There is an abundance of material on national and major museums from all parts of the world. There is information about World Famous Museums, museums concentrating on specific interests, some unusual museums with collections as diverse as dog collars, coloured pencils and wallpaper, virtual museums and links to other aspects and collections.

Almost without exception, these museums have a significant online presence covering every aspect. There are even a few with only an online presence.

Australian Museums

General Portals

• Australian Museums and Galleries Online
  Find a nearby gallery/museum, exhibitions and a database of more than half a million objects.
  Now part of the Collections Australia Network.
• Find Australian Museums and Galleries by Type
  Museums and galleries listed via a search process.

Major National & State Museums

• Australian Museum Online [NSW]
  Resources include educational tools, photographs, how and why responses, exhibitions, anthropology, what’s on when, etc.. Also check Search & Discover.
• Australian National Maritime Museum [NSW]
  The diversity of Australia’s maritime heritage. There are many hands-on things.
• Australian War Memorial, The [ACT]
  Information about a range of wars and Australia’s role in them. Take a good look at what is available from the Education section of the museum.
• Museum of Australian Democracy
  [at Old Parliament House]
  ‘On 9 May 2009, Old Parliament House became the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. The mission is to encourage visitors to reflect on this history and the part they might play in its future’. Latest news, exhibitions, learning information and more.
• Museum of Victoria
  Best known exhibit has been Phar Lap, but it has a lot more to offer.
• National Archives of Australia
  Collections about Australia’s past.
• National Library of Australia
  Actually a library but it holds exhibits of museum standard and suitability.
• National Museum of Australia [ACT]
  Details of the permanent collection, past and present exhibits, a search engine. Take one of the Suggested Itineraries. Of special interest, is the Talkback Classroom, which, as the museum says - ‘This innovative program allows students to interview the top movers and shakers in the country’.
• Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery
  Cyclone Tracy Gallery, Discovery Centre. Check the site for links to other galleries and museums in the Territory.
• Queensland Museum
  Science Centre, Body Zone Gallery, dinosaurs, Earth Space Gallery. Use this entry to access the Queensland Museum Campuses.
• South Australian Museum
  Ancient Egypt, fossils, Life in the Deep, Sir Douglas Mawson.
• Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
  Discovery Space, Zoology Gallery, Tasmanian Indigenous culture, Island to Ice.
• Western Australian Museum, The
  Six sites around the state.

Top of Page

Other Museums

Local museums in Australia cover many specific topics [e.g. Golden Dragon Museum : the Chinese in Bendigo]. An indication of their emphasis is given where necessary.

Australian Capital Territory

• CSIRO DIscovery Centre
  Interactive activities.
• Museums & Galleries ACT
  Links to major galleries and museums.
• Questacon
  Interactive science and technology.

New South Wales

• Culture, Sport & Recreation
  Select either listing for galleries or museums.
• Australia’s Museum of Flight
  [Nowra, New South Wales]
• Bradman Museum
  Famous cricketer.
• Historic Houses Trust New South Wales
  Museum of Sydney, Elizabeth Bay House, The Justice & Police Museum, The Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
• Molong Historical Society & Museum
• Museum of Human Disease
  ‘The museum highlights the workings of the human body and reflects the changing patterns of disease in our society’.
• Museum of the Riverina
• Powerhouse Museum - NSW
  Exhibitions, interactive displays. Coveris everything from social history to transport. Check the Powerhouse Museum Collection Database Online, described as being ‘set up to encourage the serendipitous discovery of objects in our vast and diverse collection’. More than 60 000 items.
• Royal NSW Lancers Memorial Museum
• Sydney Observatory
  3D Space Theatre, use the telescopes and more.
• Sydney Tramway Museum
  Australian Tramways.
• The Sydney Jewish Museum
• Wollongong Science Centre and Planetarium
  Linked to the University of Wollongong.

Northern Territory

• Australian Aviation Heritage Centre
  In Darwin.
• Museum of Central Australia
  Includes reconstructions, megafauna fossils and more.

Queensland

• Museum Gallery Services Queensland
  Use the Museum & Gallery Finder [main menu] to get information on over 350 museums, galleries, historical societies, and other cultural heritage sites. Check profiles as well.
• 5th Light Horse Museum
  WW 1 Military.
• Bert Hinkler Memorial Museum
  Flight.
• Ideas at the Powerhouse - Queensland
  
• Mareeba Heritage Museum
• Museum of Australian Military Intelligence
• Museum of Tropical Queensland
• Queensland Maritime Museum
• QANTAS Founders Outback Museum
  News, information, collections [including a 747], educational information, virtual reality tour of the museum precinct and a Flash movie on the history of Qantas.
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not
• Stockman’s Hall of Fame
  [And Outback Heritage Centre]
• Workshops Railway Museum
  Linked to the Queensland Museum.

Top of Page

South Australia

• Army Museum of South Australia
• History Trust of SA
  A list of links to museums in South Australia.
• Goolwa Maritime Gallery
  Riverboats, etc..
• Migration Museum of South Australia
• Museum of Classical Archaeology
  [Adelaide University]
• Museum of Economic Botany
  ‘a traditional display of hundreds of different fruits arranged systematically. Displays show natural gums and resins, the history and uses of cocoa and tea, and native timbers’.
• National Motor Museum
• Port Dock Station
  National Railway Museum.
• Rodney Fox Shark Museum
  The Great White Shark [the animal, not the golfer.]
• South Australian Maritime Museum
• The Sheep’s Back Museum
  Wool industry. Naracoorte.

Tasmania

• Museums and Art Galleries Tasmania
  ‘Tasmania has a number of fine small museums that tell the story of the Island and its people’. Use listings to access these.
• Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration
• Talis^Plus
  Access databases at the Tasmanian Museum and State Library.
• Ulverstone Local History Museum
• Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
  On two sites in Launceston, one an old railway workshop.

Victoria

• Army Museum Bandiana
• Chinese Museum
  Chinese in Australia.
• City Museum at the Old Treasury Building
• Fire Services Museum
  Covers all areas related to fire and fire prevention.
• Fort Queenscliff Museum
  ‘Show[s] the significance of the Fort in the local, state and national c ontext and provide[s] a centre for historical research’.
• Golden Dragon Museum
  Chinese in Bendigo.
• Immigration - Melbourne Museum
• Museum Victoria
• Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West
  Community history.
• Scienceworks [Melbourne Museum]
• Sovereign Hill
  Open air recreation; gold museum.
• Wangaratta Historical Museum [and Society]

Western Australia

• Mining Hall of Fame
• Western Australian Maritime Museum
• Scitech
  50+ interactive exhibits.

Virtual Museum

• The Thylacine Museum
  History, range, sightings, lineage, more.

Top of Page

© D & B Mann Webmasters. All rights reserved. Last updated - 10 August 2011.
Best viewed at a resolution of 1280 x 800 or greater. We use and recommend Mozilla Firefox as the preferred browser.