Museums · Perth · Australia
4 best museums in Perth
The collections worth your time, how long each takes and how to fit them together.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: File:OIC south perth zoo entrance.jpg : User:Orderinchaos derivative work: Georgfotoart, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with WA Museum Boola Bardip, Art Gallery of Western Australia and WA Maritime Museum. Together the 4 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 3 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 4
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Northbridge, Fremantle and Perth CBD
Museums in Perth
Museum · Northbridge
1.WA Museum Boola Bardip
Western Australia's state museum reopened in 2020 in a building that joins heritage structures with a dramatic modern wing.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Gallery · Northbridge
2.Art Gallery of Western Australia
The state gallery in the Perth Cultural Centre holds Australian, Aboriginal and international art, with a strong focus on Western Australian artists.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
Museum · Fremantle
3.WA Maritime Museum
Shaped like an upturned boat on Victoria Quay, the museum displays Australia II, the yacht that won the America's Cup in 1983, alongside galleries on the Indian Ocean, pearling and naval history.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Perth CBD
4.The Perth Mint
Opened in 1899 to refine gold from the Western Australian goldfields, the Perth Mint is Australia's oldest operating mint.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Northbridge | WA Museum Boola Bardip and Art Gallery of Western Australia | 2–3 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Fremantle | WA Maritime Museum | 2 hours |
| Perth CBD | The Perth Mint | 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 4, 2 free, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is WA Museum Boola Bardip; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Northbridge): WA Museum Boola Bardip → Art Gallery of Western Australia, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Fremantle and Perth CBD): WA Maritime Museum → The Perth Mint, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- May: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Pleasant days and the first winter rains; quieter and good value.
- June: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds. Winter brings rain fronts and cool nights between clear, sunny days; truffle season begins.
- August: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still wintry and showery, but the first wildflowers appear in Kings Park.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Northbridge — Bars, small restaurants and the Perth Cultural Centre just north of the railway
- Fremantle — Port city of Victorian streetscapes, markets, breweries and the convict-built prison
More of Perth
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Perth?
WA Museum Boola Bardip. Western Australia's state museum reopened in 2020 in a building that joins heritage structures with a dramatic modern wing.
+Which of these are free in Perth?
WA Museum Boola Bardip and Art Gallery of Western Australia.