The Berndt Museum of Anthropology was founded in 1976 by Ronald Berndt and Catherine Berndt. The museum was established to house the extensive collections accumulated by Ronald and Catherine Berndt during their lifelong careers as anthropologists. Although initially called the Anthropology Research Museum, it was renamed in 1992 in honor of the museum’s founders and principal benefactors. It is located on the grounds at the University of Western Australia, Campus Crawley.
Housing over 11,500 objects and 32,000 photographs, the museum contains one of the finest collections of Aboriginal art and cultural artifacts in the world according to the Collections Australia Network (CAN). The collection consists of contemporary and historical Aboriginal Australian material culture from regions such as Arnhem Land, Kimberley, Pilbara, the South-West and the Western Desert. The museum also houses a substantial Asian and Papua New Guinea collection.
Plans are now underway to raise funds to develop a new purpose-built complex that will permentally house the Berndt Museum.