The 20 best museums for history and culture in Australia

What is it? Just a 90-minute drive from Hobart, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site is proudly Australia’s most intact and evocative convict site, with more than 30 historic buildings and ruins to explore.

Why go? Stroll through the 40-hectare landscaped grounds, join an introductory walking tour, embark on a complimentary 20-minute harbour cruise where you’ll catch glimpses of the Isle of the Dead – and then come back to do it all again, with tickets granting you entry for two consecutive days. Trust us, you’ll need it.

Time Out tip: Port Arthur Historic Site is the start point for the remarkable Three Capes Track – add it to the itinerary. 

Address: Visitor Centre, Port Arthur TAS
Opening hours: Daily 9am-5pm
Entry fee: $53 per adult, including a self-guided audio tour, 20-minute Harbour Cruise and complimentary guide talks

What is it? Australia's national war memorial and museum, where you can commemorate the sacrifice of our service personnel.

Why go? History buffs will love the attention to detail displayed at this Canberra museum. It’s the distinctly human angle that makes the Australian War Memorial appealing. More than just monuments, the memorial offers a genuine insight into what wartime life was like for Australian women and men, with multimedia displays, documentary footage and a moving Last Post closing ceremony at 4.30pm daily.

Time Out tip: Join one of the Memorial's free 80-minute guided tours that are held daily and cover the Commemorative Area and the First and Second World War galleries. 

Address: Treloar Cres, Campbell ACT
Opening hours: Daily 10am-4pm
Entry fee: Free

What is it? A two-in-one museum and gallery in Darwin, focused on the history of the Northern Territory.

Why go? The MAGNT houses more than 30,000 artefacts, including the body of Sweetheart, a 5.1m saltwater crocodile responsible for attacking boats; relics from the category four Cyclone Tracy that changed Darwin’s urban landscape; and bones of Melville, the Northern Territory’s 21.9m pygmy blue whale skeleton.

Time Out tip: The museum is also home to the annual Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards - the most significant award of its kind nationwide – which is a must-see from August to January.

Address: 19 Conacher St, The Gardens NT
Opening hours: Daily 10am-4pm
Entry fee: Free (excl. touring exhibitions)

What is it? The country's oldest museum is the custodian of 21.9 million specimens and cultural objects, including Indigenous and Pacific collections, a precious stones collection and a permanent dinosaur exhibition.

Why go? Funnel webs, king browns, redbacks, salties – find Australia's most deadly critters at the Australian Museum, stuffed or behind glass – as well as some prehistoric terrors and creatures from around the globe. Experience science, culture and nature all under one roof.

Time Out tip: Make the most of your trip with a free volunteer-led introductory tour of the permanent galleries, held on weekdays at 10.30am and 1pm.

Address: 1 William St, Darlinghurst NSW
Opening hours: Daily 10am-5pm
Entry fee: Free general admission (excl. some limited-time exhibitions)

What is it? Dive deep into the riches of Western Australia’s maritime history from the state’s dedicated sea museum, located on the water's edge in Fremantle.

Why go? Travel through time with a free highlights tour, hosted daily at 10.30am and 2.30pm, where you’ll learn about the museum’s most historic and significant objects, including the America’s Cup winning yacht, Australia II and Jon Sanders’ Parry Endeavour.

Time Out tip: Head to Gage Roads Brewery in Freo for a bevvie and a bite before or after your museum visit. 

Address: Victoria Quay Rd, Fremantle WA
Opening hours: Daily 9.30am-5pm
Entry fee: $15 per adult, free entry to children 15 years and under

What is it? Learn the story of Australia in Canberra's leading museum, housing 21 million scientific specimens and cultural objects.

Why go? The striking loops of the National Museum of Australia’s exterior have been a feature of the Canberra skyline since the institution opened in 2001. You can delve into the rich and diverse tapestry of Australia’s history while browsing the museum’s permanent collections, which feature Indigenous art, textiles, vintage cars and Phar Lap’s heart (which weighs 6.35kg).

Time Out tip: You can come back to the NMA time and time again, with free host talks in the Great Southern Land, First Australians or Landmarks galleries or the Garden of Australian Dreams.

Address: Lawson Cres, Acton ACT
Opening hours: Daily 9am-5pm
Entry fee: Free (excl. some special exhibitions and events)

What is it? A glorious, sprawling space filled with themed displays, interactive areas, IMAX cinemas and no end of surprises.

Why go? Victoria's history is vividly evoked through artefacts, art and well-carved prose at Melbourne Museum. Its ancient past is rekindled in the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, while its recent history delights visitors with the stuffed hide of thoroughbred racehorse Phar Lap, still one of the most popular exhibits with young and old alike. And if you think you have seen it all, think again. The Melbourne Museum also hosts an impressive collection of rotating exhibitions, movie screenings, artist talks and after-dark events.

Time Out tip: Don't leave without a visit to the permanent exhibition Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs, the centrepiece of which is Horridus: Melbourne Museum's 67-million-year-old Triceratops fossil. 

Address: 11 Nicholson St, Carlton VIC
Opening hours: Daily 9am-5pm
Entry fee: $18 for adults, free for kids 16 years and under (additional charges for temporary exhibitions and events)

What is it? This multifaceted museum in Brisbane's riverside cultural precinct of South Bank tells the changing story of Queensland.

Why go? Queensland Museum Kurilpa is home to millions of objects, specimens and artefacts. It covers natural history, cultural heritage, science and human achievement. In the larger-than-life Dinosaurs Unearthed: Explore Prehistoric Queensland exhibit, you can meet some of Queensland’s long-lost inhabitants, including dinosaurs, giant marine reptiles and megafauna. Wild State highlights the extreme beauty yet fragile state of Queensland’s diverse environments and habitats, from the outback to the ocean. In the Discovery Centre, visitors can explore, play and ask questions to the specialist museum staff. 

Time Out tip: Don't miss SparkLab – an interactive science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) space, ideal for curious six- to 13-year-olds.

Address: Queensland Cultural Centre, Cnr Grey & Melbourne Sts, South Brisbane QLD 
Opening hours: Daily 9.30am-5pm
Entry fee: Free (excl. SparkLab and limited-time exhibitions)

What is it? Reserve the whole day for a trip to the South Australian Museum, a five-storey natural history museum in Adelaide.

Why go? There are more than four million specimens of flora, fauna, geology and Indigenous culture to discover, with interactive and eye-opening galleries dedicated to earth sciences and biodiversity, plus the world’s most comprehensive collection of Australian Aboriginal cultural material.

Time Out tip: If you're lucky, your visit may coincide with the prestigious biennial Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, held  from April to June, which celebrates the best of science and art in the natural world. 

Address: North Tce, Adelaide SA
Opening hours: Daily 10am-5pm
Entry fee: Free 

What is it? Science brings smiles to everyone’s faces at Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra.

Why go? This playground for adults and kids alike is full of weird and wonderful spaces for you to play and discover. Feel the force of an earthquake, watch an explosive science show and make friends with dinosaurs. 

Time Out tip: Experience the exhilaration of weightlessness as you slide down the two-storey vertical ‘Free Fall’ at Excite@Q.

Address: King Edward Tce, Parkes ACT
Opening hours: Daily 9am-5pm
Entry fee: $23 for adults, $17.50 for children 4-17 years 

What is it? One of Australia's finest maritime treasures, with collections covering defence, trade, exploration, migration, First Nations culture and ocean futures.

Why go? For a city whose history has always been entwined with its harbour, the sea and water travel, it's no surprise that Sydney's Maritime Museum is right up there with the country's best. There are oceans of fun to be had both on and off the water. Start inside by exploring its incredible permanent displays (many of which are free), or time your visit with the impressive annual Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition. Then step outside and take to the harbour itself – you can jump aboard the submarine HMAS Onslow and the big gun destroyer HMAS Vampire, before enjoying a cuppa at the waterfront café.

Time Out tip: Got kids to keep occupied? There are always school holiday activities aplenty. 

Address: 2 Murray St, Sydney NSW
Opening hours: Daily 10am-4pm
Entry fee: Free general admission (excl. some limited-time exhibitions)

What is it? This ten-hectare outdoor museum in Ballarat is sort of an antipodean version of Westworld, sans the homicidal robots and hedonistic atmosphere.

Why go? Sovereign Hill genuinely makes learning about Victoria’s gold rush history fun, whether you’re panning for gold in the creek or dipping your own candle. Once you step into the recreated 1850s town, you’ll find yourself surrounded by characters in historically accurate costumes, horses and carts, and attractions that reveal what life was like during one of Victoria’s, if not Australia’s, most significant historical periods. See blacksmiths take to the anvil, confectioners create old-school boiled sweets and even witness the spectacular gold pour where $160,000 of gold is melted and turned into a three-kilogram bullion.

Time Out tip: Catch a 90-minute VLine train from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne to the historic Ballarat Railway Station. From there, Sovereign Hill is just a short bus ride away on route 21.

Address: Bradshaw St, Golden Point VIC
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm
Entry fee: $52.50 for adults, $33 for kids (5-15 years)

What is it? Step into the shoes of one of 32 heroic Anzac characters as they relive their First World War experiences at Albany’s award-winning National Anzac Centre.

Why go? From recruitment and training through to conflicts in Egypt, Gallipoli, Sinai and beyond, you’ll see their personal stories unfold through a mix of interactive, multimedia and audio displays. At the end of your journey, you’ll discover the fate of your character and can pay your respects at the Pool of Reflection.

Time Out tip: Keep your eyes out as whales can be spotted in the bays surrounding Albany Heritage Parkland reserve between June and October.

Address: 67 Forts Rd, Mount Clarence WA
Opening hours: Daily 9am-5pm 
Entry fee: $25 for adults, $11 for children 5-15 years

What is it? A heroic sports museum located across two levels beneath the Olympic Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Why go? Bradman's baggy green cap, Bart Cummings' collection of Melbourne Cups, Cathy Freeman's swift suit from her gold-medal-winning run at the Sydney Olympics 2000 – these items are more than mere sporting memorabilia, they’re touchstones in the forging of Australia’s national identity. 

Time Out tip: You might as well do a tour of the MCG while you're there – and you can bundle the two together.

Address: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Yarra Park, Gate 3 Brunton Ave, East Melbourne VIC
Opening hours: Daily 10am-5pm
Entry fee: $38 for adults, $17 for kids

What is it? The interactive science and technology museum is geared towards getting children excited about science through first-hand experiences. But that doesn't mean that grown-ups can't get in on the excitement, too. 

Why go? Get hands-on with mindblowing science experiences and experiments at Scienceworks. The Planetarium, with its huge domed ceiling replicating the night sky, is always a huge hit, along with Scienceworks’ mesmerising glow show, aerodynamic playground, virtual reality moon challenge and limited-time exhibits.

Time Out tip: For a 'shocking experience', check out the lightning theatre – there's nothing like man-made thunderbolts to make science fun. 

Address: 2 Booker St, Spotswood VIC
Opening hours: Daily 10am-4.30pm
Entry fee: $15 for adults, free for kids 16 years and under

What is it? A historic prison where visitors can explore the original cellblocks, learn about prison life and hear eerie stories of former inmates.

What is it? You’ll find The Mint – the place where every Australian coin is made – in suburban Deakin. Fun fact: it also produces circulating coins for other countries, as well as collector coins, medals and medallions.

Why go? Take a walk above the factory floor and learn about the manufacturing process for coins on a free 30-minute guided tour. Or, check out the permanent display of rare and unique coins, including 'misstrikes' (imperfect coins), rare pennies and the first coins to land on our shores.

Time Out tip: You can even strike your very own one-dollar coin in the Gallery Press.

Address: 62-114 Denison St, Deakin ACT
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm
Entry fee: Free

What is it? The flagship museum in Perth Cultural Centre, celebrating the state's rich history and natural wonders.

Why go? Opening in 2020, Boola Bardip means “many stories” in the language of the Nyoongar people native to the area. The museum houses eight galleries, each with its own distinct area to explore. While many of these are reserved for showcasing Western Australia’s rich history, incredible flora and fauna and Aboriginal Culture, the museum also plays host to travelling exhibitions like antiques from the Netherlands or relics from Ancient Egypt.

Time Out tip: While you're in the area, also check out the Art Gallery of Western Australia and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts – both housed within the Perth Cultural Centre.

Address: Perth Cultural Centre, WA 
Opening hours: Daily 9.30am-5pm
Entry fee: $15 for adults, free for kids 15 years and under