Your Ultimate Guide to Perth's Must-Visit Museums

Perth's museums offer a gateway into the city’s unique story, where past and present come together in captivating ways. The museums in Perth showcase stories of Indigenous culture and history, colonial foundations of the Swan River Colony, and the booming days of the gold rush. Each museum holds pieces of Perth’s journey.

Explore maritime artefacts, experience historic trials, marvel at aviation feats, and walk through interactive science displays that invite all ages to engage with the city's rich cultural and scientific legacy.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a family looking for hands-on learning, or simply curious about the city’s past, Perth’s museums promise experiences that will deepen your connection to Western Australia and provide a memorable experience for your visit to the city.

Location: Perth Cultural Centre, Perth, Western Australia 6000

The WA Museum Boola Bardip should be one of your first ports of call when visiting Perth museums. The venue, open from 9:30 am until 5 pm daily, offers contemporary insights into Western Australia’s people through its various displays and interactive experiences.

Its primary focus is on the Indigenous culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, providing unique insights into how they lived and worked. Various exhibits help you discover more about their rich history and the various artworks they produced over the centuries before Western colonisation.

Some galleries also cover the social and economic history of Western Australia. Displays tell the story of how the country came to rely on its mining industry and why so many people moved to the area at the end of the 19th century. Depending on when you travel, special exhibitions may also be running. These offer new perspectives on science and culture, giving you something new to see, even if you’ve visited before.

Various family-friendly experiences make travelling with kids more straightforward. These include hands-on exhibits and interactive displays that make learning about the state’s history more exciting for children. Novotel Perth Murray Street is located near the Perth Cultural Centre, making it an ideal choice for exploring the WA Museum Boola Bardip.

Location: 310 Hay Street, East Perth, Western Australia 6004

The Perth Mint is another worthwhile attraction to visit on a trip to the city. The world-class and award-winning destination tells the history of gold mining and coin minting in the city, including when Australia was on the gold standard.  If you visit the museum, it is well worth going on The Perth Mint Gold Tour. This family-friendly option runs for an hour and explains the history of mining and gold in Western Australia and how it dictated the territory’s fortunes. Tours run every hour throughout the day, including on Saturdays and Sundays, with some requiring booking in advance. The most exciting part of any trip to the Perth Mint is the gold-pouring demonstrations. Goldsmiths expertly smelt gold in front of live audiences, showing how the molten metal behaves and what happens during the minting process to make bars and coins.

Nearby is The Gold Exhibition, which provides insights into the history of gold mining in Australia. It charts the mint’s role in creating coins and displays various gold nuggets from the early era of exploration. As you might expect, the Perth Mint has an extensive gift shop selling numerous items including engagement rings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and even natural nuggets found locally.

Diamonds and other precious stones are also available from the on-site store and gift shop. Just a short walk from the Perth Mint, Mercure Perth offers easy access to this historic minting attraction and its engaging gold-pouring demonstrations.

Location: City West Centre, Sutherland Street, West Perth, Western Australia 6005

Scitech offers something different again, focusing on technology, science, mathematics, and engineering. Like many other leading STEM venues, it offers exciting hands-on experiences that inspire curiosity, ideal for families, school trips, and tourists who love the natural world.

Scitech has more than a hundred interactive exhibits covering various topics from space travel to biology. The on-site Planetarium is one of the standout attractions, offering you the opportunity to see the space like never before. During the 45-minute show, hosts take you through a map of the universe, exploring the planets, stars and other notable celestial features. The dome is a full 180 degrees (like the night sky) and has built-in 6.1 surround sound for a more dramatic audio experience.

Live science demonstrations are another fun aspect of visiting this venue (especially for kids). These last around 25 minutes and show experiments in real time, bringing science to life. Located close to City West Centre, the ibis Perth makes visiting Scitech’s interactive science exhibits and Planetarium convenient for families and travellers interested in STEM.

Location: Stirling Gardens, Barrack Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000

The Old Court House Law Museum is a unique destination and one of only a handful of museums dedicated to the legal system worldwide. Constructed in 1836, it functioned as a courthouse in early colonial life and later served as a civic hub for the growing community. A short trip from the Old Court House Law Museum, Novotel Perth Langley is a great option for those interested in Perth’s early colonial and legal history.

The primary attraction is the courtroom experience the Old Court House Law Museum offers. You can step into a trial setting from the 19th century and witness what it was like for yourself. You can also learn about the historic building and numerous key legal cases that defined Western Australia’s social history. 

Location: 8 Murray Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000

Those wanting to learn more about Western Australia’s medical history should pay a visit to the Royal Perth Hospital Museum. Set in the 1894 Administration Building next to the original 1855 Colonial Hospital, it shows the realities of life for the early settlers, including the various epidemics they had to ensure from the 1800s onwards.

Much of the Royal Perth Hospital Museum’s emphasis is on hope. It chronicles its research in advancing medical treatment, including its work on cardiology, burns treatment, peptic ulcer, and X-ray technology. As you tour the venue, you can see some of the nation’s most valuable medical artefacts, including a wooden case containing Cold Cathode Tubes imported by William Hancock after the discovery of X-rays.

Location: Unit 3, 16 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge, Western Australia 6003

The Nostalgia Box is another unique venue dedicated to video game consoles, allowing you to explore rare retro consoles and enjoy titles in interactive areas. Opened in 2019, it’s famous for its dedication to the golden era of gaming.

The Nostalgia Box’s biggest attraction is its enormous games library featuring games from the most famous early consoles, including the NES and Atari 2600. Visitors can play hard-to-find titles from the era in their original form, without the use of emulators. Gamers and guests can enjoy various themed areas. These provide detailed background information on gaming’s evolution and its cultural significance.

The museum is open from 11am until 4pm most days, with extended opening hours seven days a week during school holidays. The building is in Plaistowe Mews in West Perth, close to the CBD. Close to The Nostalgia Box you’ll find the ibis Styles East Perth provides easy access to this unique retro gaming museum in Northbridge. 

Location: Victoria Quay, Peter Hughes Drive, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160

The WA Maritime Museum is a top venue for anyone interested in Australia’s naval traditions. It provides an overview of Western Australia’s maritime history, offering insights into Fremantle’s history and future as a port and city close to Perth.

The venue houses several historically significant vessels to explore, including the Royal Australian Navy submarine, HMAS Ovens, and a replica of the Dutch ship, Duyfken, which was one of the first European ships to explore Australian waters. These impressive exhibits are backed by interactive displays with hands-on activities to help explore local marine ecosystems and early navigation technologies used by explorers. Homage is also paid to Indigenous Australians and their pre-colonial communities that often ran along the coast, exploring their traditional fishing and boat-building practices.

Finally, the WA Maritime Museum offers various cultural programs for schools. These teach about maritime history and local stewardship of the waters and coastal resources. A short drive from the WA Maritime Museum, The Adnate Perth offers a comfortable stay with convenient access to Fremantle’s historic waterfront.

Location: 2 Bull Creek Drive, Bull Creek, Western Australia 6149

Located in Bull Creek, a 20-minute drive from central Perth, the Aviation Heritage Museum chronicles the history of flight on the continent and how it developed from humble beginnings into a vast industry. The museum, established in the 1990s, is now home to some of the world’s most famous and recognisable aircraft. Popular exhibits include one of the original Concordes, a Boeing 727 and several fighter jets. Exhibits are arranged to show the evolution of aircraft and how they changed over the 20th century.

The various restoration workshops are among the most exciting parts of the museum. These provide a glimpse into how experts restore old planes to working operation using original parts where possible. They also complement educational programs run for schools and university groups designed to inspire the pilots and aviation engineers of tomorrow.

Open cockpit days are available throughout the year and are well worth the visit. These allow you to sit in aircraft and touch the dials and knobs that control the vehicle for a clearer idea of the piloting experience. A practical base for aviation enthusiasts, the ibis Perth offers access to Bull Creek’s Aviation Heritage Museum, a short drive south of the city centre.