How do you determine the best museum in Australia when the contents of history vary so dramatically? According to TripAdvisor, it’s by asking millions of reviewers.
The online travel platform recently gathered museum reviews over the last 12 months to determine which are the best in Australia.
According to TripAdvisor’s Senior Director of Communications, Brooke Ferencsik, this year’s award winners should be added to every ‘must-visit’ list.
So, without further ado, here are the best museums to visit in Australia:
1. National Gallery of Victoria— Melbourne
Founded in 1861, the National Gallery of Victoria has been cited as the oldest and most visited art museum in the country. The museum boasts one of the world’s finest art collections and has a dedicated Oceanic gallery that showcases the indigenous cultures of the Pacific area.
2. National Anzac Centre — Albany
Overlooking King George Sound, the museum commemorates the lives of more than 41,000 men and women who set out for war in 1914. It offers visitors a chance to experience WWI by assuming the identities of 32 Anzac-related characters and following their life journeys through a series of interactive exhibits.
3. Melbourne Museum — Melbourne
This award-winning museum is the largest in the Southern hemisphere, housing an IMAX theatre, a touring hall and seven main galleries showcasing outstanding exhibits on natural environment, culture and history, as well as a special gallery for younger visitors.
4. Questacon — Canberra
As the national science and technology centre, Questacon inspires and educates its visitors with over 200 interactive experiences. Its eight galleries feature themed exhibits, from astronomy to zoology, catering to all age groups.
5. Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory — Darwin
Ranked as the top attraction in Darwin, this museum is a new entrant to the top 10 Travellers’ Choice museums in Australia. As the Top End’s premier art and cultural institution, it houses the best travelling exhibitions from around the country and showcases the region’s natural and maritime history through its diverse collections of artefacts.
6. National Gallery of Australia— Canberra
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art museum of Australia as well as one of the largest art museums in Australia, holding more than 166,000 works of art.
7. Art Gallery of New South Wales — Sydney
With over 30,000 Australian, European and Asian works in its collection, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is Sydney’s leading art museum. Visitors to the museum are also rewarded to magnificent vistas of the Sydney harbour in the backdrop.
8. Defence of Darwin Experience – Darwin
Featuring an interactive exhibition space that promises an immersive and multi-sensory experience, the museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore Darwin’s wartime heritage and the Territory’s involvement in WWII.
9. Bendigo Art Gallery – Bendigo
Established in 1887, Bendigo Art Gallery is the largest, and one of the oldest regional galleries in Australia. The Gallery’s collection is extensive and varied with an emphasis on 19th century European art and Australian art from 1800s onwards, alongside a strong collection of contemporary Australian art.
10. Historic Village Herberton— Queensland
Travellers can see the real space shuttle Atlantis, touch a moon rock, meet a veteran NASA astronaut, tour a NASA spaceflight facility and get an up-close view of a real Saturn V moon rocket all in the same day.
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