Western Australian Museum

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The Western Australian Museum, Perth.

The Western Australian Museum is the main museum for the state of Western Australia. Established in 1891, the museum is situated in the heart of Perth's cultural precinct in Northbridge. The museum falls under the responsibility of the Western Australia Department of Culture and Arts. The museum focuses on Western Australia's history and environment, including dinosaurs, aborigines, Australian mammals, meteorites, butterflies, birds and marine life.

Other branches include additional sites in Geraldton, Albany, and Kalgoorlie-Boulder, and the Western Australian Maritime Museum, located on three sites in Fremantle.

1 Western Australian Maritime Museum
2 New museum at East Perth
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Western Australian Maritime Museum

The distinctive WA Maritime Museum building on Victoria Quay, Fremantle.

The Maritime Museum at night.

The main collection of the Western Australian Maritime Museum is located on Victoria Quay ( 32°3′17″S, 115°44′20″E) in Fremantle, and contains galleries with themes such as the Indian Ocean, the Swan River, fishing, maritime trade, naval defence, and the successful America's Cup yacht Australia II.

Situated close to the Maritime Museum is the HMAS Ovens, an Oberon class submarine that is open for guided tours. Displayed in the Shipwreck Galleries in Cliff Street, Fremantle, are relics from the Batavia, which was wrecked off the coast of Western Australia in 1629.

HMAS Ovens at the WA Maritime Museum.

[edit] New museum at East Perth

In February 2008 the Government of Western Australia announced that it would build a new $500 million museum at the East Perth Power Station site.^[1] Planning and design of the new museum will begin in 2008, with construction expected to begin in 2012. The extensive fit-out required for the museum is scheduled to start in 2013, with completion of the entire project expected in late 2015.^[2] The redevelopment will be overseen by the Government's Office of Strategic Projects.^[1]