As of Wednesday August 5, 2009 the Western Australian Museum will begin operating on a six-day week with all seven public sites.

As with all the State's government agencies, the Museum faces a difficult financial climate, including tight public sector fiscal policies as well as pressure on its private funding partners.

In consultation with the Government and the WA Museum Board of Trustees, the Western Australian Museum will close on Wednesdays in an effort to reduce operational expenditure and allow the Museums to open on weekends and public holidays, days of high visitation.

Closing a day a week is seen as one of the best strategies to reduce costs and achieve the efficiencies required by the Government and closing on Wednesdays allows the Museum to continue opening on weekends and some public holidays.

The internal work of the Museum will continue on Wednesdays with the closure providing an opportunity to carry out maintenance work on exhibitions, collections and facilities.

The Museum is working with staff and unions regarding any changes to working hours and no job losses are envisioned.

The Wednesday closure will affect include:

Western Australian Museum – Perth
Western Australian Museum – Maritime
Western Australian Museum – Shipwreck Galleries
Western Australian Museum – Fremantle History
Western Australian Museum – Albany
Western Australian Museum – Geraldton
Western Australian Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Effective from 5 August, 2009 the following opening hours will be applicable across all sites.

Open daily from 9.30-5.00, excluding Wednesdays.
(Regional sites close at 4.30)

Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day.