Australia
15 Best Museums in Australia
If museums are your reason to travel, this is Australia sorted for you.
Order reflects review volume from real travelers in Australia. Refreshed monthly.
National Gallery of Victoria
Museum · MelbourneThe National Gallery of Victoria, commonly known as the NGV, is a premier art destination in Melbourne.
Read our full guide →Perth Mint
Museum · PerthThe Perth Mint is one of Australia's oldest operating mints, established in 1899. Today, it functions as a museum and working mint.
Read our full guide →Old Melbourne Gaol
Museum · MelbourneOld Melbourne Gaol is a preserved 19th-century prison that now operates as a museum, giving visitors a glimpse into Melbourne's convict past.
Read our full guide →Art Gallery of New South Wales
Museum · SydneyFree entryThe Art Gallery of New South Wales, in The Domain, Sydney, is the most important public gallery in Sydney and one of the largest in Australia.
Read our full guide →Questacon
Museum · CanberraQuestacon, the National Science and Technology Centre, is Canberra's superb interactive science museum and one of the best family attractions in Australia.
Read our full guide →Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane
Museum · BrisbaneThe Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) is Australia's largest museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art, located in Brisbane's South Bank.
Read our full guide →Australian National Maritime Museum
Museum · SydneyFree entryThe Australian National Maritime Museum sits on the waterfront at Darling Harbour in Sydney, telling the story of Australia's deep relationship with the sea, from Indigenous saltwater cultures and…
Read our full guide →National Portrait Gallery
Museum · CanberraFree entryThe National Portrait Gallery in Canberra tells the story of Australia through the faces of the people who shaped it, explorers and prime ministers, artists, scientists, sportspeople, activists, and cultural icons.
Read our full guide →Madame Tussauds Sydney
Museum · SydneyMadame Tussauds Sydney is a wax museum located in Darling Harbour, part of the global chain known for its incredibly realistic wax figures.
Read our full guide →Immigration Museum
Museum · MelbourneFree entryThe Immigration Museum in Melbourne tells the powerful, moving stories of the millions of people who have migrated to Australia from across the world, their journeys, hopes, struggles, and the rich…
Read our full guide →ACMI (museum)
Museum · MelbourneACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) is a dynamic museum that celebrates the art, history, and technology of film, television, video games, and digital culture.
Read our full guide →Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Museum · SydneyThe Museum of Contemporary Art Australia occupies a prominent position on Circular Quay, offering visitors a dynamic journey through modern art.
Read our full guide →Museum of Brisbane
Museum · BrisbaneMuseum of Brisbane is located in the iconic City Hall, a heritage building that itself is a piece of history.
Read our full guide →Australian Museum
Museum · SydneyFree entryThe Australian Museum is the oldest natural history museum in Australia, located at the corner of William and College Streets in central Sydney.
Read our full guide →Queensland Museum
Museum · BrisbaneThe Queensland Museum, situated in the South Bank cultural district, offers a journey through the state's natural and human history.
Read our full guide →
Good to know
What is the best-known of the museums in Australia?
National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne is the most reviewed, with 5,678 traveler reviews and a 4.6 rating. That makes it the safe choice if you are only fitting in one.
Which of Australia's museums is worth going out of your way for?
Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney rates highest at 4.6 out of 5 across 3,230 reviews. Smaller crowds than the headline entry usually explain the gap.
Which city in Australia has the most museums?
Sydney, with 5 on this list, ahead of Melbourne on 4. The list spans 5 cities in total, capped at three per city so one big city cannot crowd out the rest of the country.
Are any of these museums free to visit?
Yes, 5: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australian National Maritime Museum, National Portrait Gallery and others. That is based on each place's own visiting information, not an assumption about the category.
How is this list of museums ranked?
By how many travelers reviewed each place, filtered to those rated well enough to be worth your time, drawn from 918 tracked places in Australia. No one pays to appear on it, and the order is refreshed monthly as new reviews land.
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