What's New

  • Visitors look at Museum of the Moon part of To the Moon at WA Museum Boola Bardip

    28 Mar 2024

    WA Museum’s latest exhibition To the Moon to include NASA Moon rock and world renown ‘Museum of the Moon’ installation

    The Moon – mysterious, enigmatic, changing, waxing, and waning. Throughout human history, the Moon has been an object of intrigue, reverence, and curiosity. It has influenced cultures, driven scientific discovery, fueled imagination and inspired creativity. It has influenced cultures, driven scientific discovery, fueled imagination and inspired creativity. 

    We have endeavoured to make sense of the great, celestial body that graces our nocturnal sky. From early theories about its influence on our behaviour to monumental astronomical achievements, we have always been driven by wonder and starry-eyed curiosity to discover the truths about Earth’s moon.  

    Our closest celestial neighbour, 384,400 km from the Earth, humans first reached the Moon more than 50 years ago, marking a momentous achievement in space exploration.  

    Today, the Moon once again beckons as the gateway to the Universe beyond. 

    WA Museum Boola Bardip’s new exhibition To the Moon takes a multiform approach to gaining a deeper understanding of the moon and its role in the story of humankind, from first steps to the future of space exploration.  

    Central to the exhibition is a lunar sample — a piece of moon rock on loan from NASA — collected during Apollo 17, the last of the Apollo programs missions to the Moon. The Moon rock is complimented by UK artist Luke Jerram’s incredible touring 'Museum of the Moon' installation. Jerram’s impressive scale replication of the Moon measures seven metres in diameter and features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface.   

    Manager, WA Museum Boola Bardip, Helen Simondson said the curatorial approach to this exhibition has been to focus on our deep fascination with the moon and its influence. 
     
    "Over half a century after the Apollo program ceased, the moon once again beckons.  The NASA led Artemis program is a collaboration with many countries and private sector to prepare humans to return to the moon and this time it is to set up a colony and use this as a base to travel further into the cosmos to have the first humans land on Mars," she said. 
     
    "To the Moon is a timely exhibition as we look at the legacy of the Apollo program and the space race and look to the new opportunities in venturing back to the moon.  Importantly we explore our eternal fascination with the moon as the spirit of the Apollo is rekindled in the new Artemis program."

    To the Moon will venture further into the spiritual and cultural influence of the Moon through painted artworks by First Nations and a dynamic multiscreen installation remixing historical and contemporary portrayals of the Moon. 

    The exhibition takes a closer look at WA’s historical role in the Apollo 11 Moon landing, as well as the future of lunar exploration such as Artemis 1, a key step towards a sustainable human presence on the Moon and Mars.​ 

    To the Moon will include a Luna Lounge and Bar Zone, which functions as a Virtual Reality hub during the day and will be supported by a series of lunar-inspired programming. ​ 


    Across seven exhibition zones, To the Moon invites new engagement with, and provides new perspectives on, this enigmatic celestial body that we all see and are influenced by.
     
    The Eagle Has Landed:
     
    Peek into a miniature 60’s lounge room diorama and witness Armstrong’s first steps on the moon just as 600 + million people saw the ‘nail biting’ descent of the Apollo 11 module ‘Eagle’ with only seconds left of fuel on July 20, 1969.
     
    Dreaming the Moon:
     
    Curated artworks by influential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists vividly capture the intricate relationship First Nations peoples have with the moon.
     
    Memento Moon / In Event of Moon Disaster:
     
    View a moving multiscreen ‘mashup’ by artist Field Carr that pays homage to the Moon as a muse across cinema and television. Watch a thought-provoking documentary using the latest AI to portray an alternative history of the 69’ moon landing.
     
    ‘Museum of the Moon’:
     
    An impressive scale replication of the moon and its surface created by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven meters in diameter, the moon features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. Each centimetre of the internally lit sculpture represents 5km of the Moon’s surface, at an approximate scale of 1:1500,000*.
     
    Lunar Lounge:
     
    nspired by the sci fi classic 2001 A Space Odyssey, this pop-up events space, will host lunar-inspired programs, a virtual reality experience and private functions.
     
    Ode to the Moon:
     
    Create an ‘Ode to the Moon’ and employ the digital collage writing technique that David Bowie used to create Space Oddity.
     
    NASA’s Moon Rock:
     
    When you arrive at the To the Moon a real piece of the Moon awaits you. One of the last pieces of moon sample collected from the final crewed NASA Apollo 17 mission.
     
    Future of the Moon:
     
    See a 3D model of the Space Launch System mega rocket and Orion that successfully launched as the first mission of the visionary Artemis program that will see humans return to the moon.
     

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    News
    Kasper Johansen

  • 17 Mar 2024

    Major immersive exhibition on James Cameron’s deep-ocean exploration opens at WA Maritime Museum

    On 23 March 2024, the WA Maritime Museum opens its doors to JAMES CAMERON – CHALLENGING THE DEEP, an exhibition by acclaimed explorer and award-winning film-maker James Cameron.

    The exhibition explores Cameron’s extensive career as a deep-sea explorer and his many history-making expeditions.

    JAMES CAMERON – CHALLENGING THE DEEP takes visitors to the depths of our oceans through the lens of Cameron’s underwater cameras, as well as his other incredible technological innovations that have enabled us to see one of the least known places on Earth.

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    News
    Robyn Ambrosius

  • Two people look closely at a collection item from the Out of this World exhibition

    5 Mar 2024

    Museum of Geraldton heads out of this world for new space focused exhibition

    A brand-new free exhibition that explores Australia’s role in the space race is set to touch down at the Museum of Geraldton this weekend.

    A touring exhibition from the National Archives of Australia, Out of This World: Australia in the space age looks back at exciting times, from the 1950s to the 1970s.

    It recalls the nation’s enthusiastic contribution to space exploration, including cutting-edge scientific research.  It also considers the impact that the phenomenon had on popular culture, from space-inspired design to television programs and literature.

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    Kasper Johansen

  • Ian Waina, Bernadette Waina and Dorothy Djanghara with two artworks by Ian’s father and Bernadette’s husband, Kevin Waina

    20 Feb 2024

    Kwini Traditional Owners and Rock Art Australia Visit the WA Museum

    WA Museum Anthropology and Archaeology staff have had the pleasure of hosting special guests from Kalumburu, Melbourne and Brisbane.

    Kwini Traditional Owners Ian Waina, Bernadette Waina and Dorothy Djanghara were in Perth recently with Rock Art Australia CEO Samantha Hamilton and researcher Pauline Heaney, preparing for Ian’s upcoming public lecture at the WA Museum Boola Bardip.

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    News
    Cedar Rankin-Cheek

  • Women from Bandyup Women's Prison share their stories during Museum of Stories

    13 Feb 2024

    Museum artifacts help women prisoners develop creative storytelling

    A collaborative project between the Western Australian Museum (WA Museum) and the Department of Justice has encouraged prisoners at Bandyup Women's Prison to explore different styles of creative storytelling.

    The six-day program, titled The Museum of Stories, aimed to foster personal growth, creativity, and self-expression by using objects from the WA Museum’s collection to inspire story ideas.

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    News
    Kasper Johansen

  • Night Parrot

    8 Feb 2024

    Best specimen of the rare Night Parrot on display in the world.

    Once thought to be extinct, a specimen of the elusive Night Parrot is now on display for the first time at the WA Museum Boola Bardip. 

    The Western Australian Museum’s recent acquisition of a whole specimen is the most significant one collected since the 1800s and only the 4th complete specimen collected in Western Australia. It is also the best representation of the Night Parrot in any museum around the world and will provide a significant opportunity for WA Museum visitors to view the elusive bird up close.

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    News
    Flora Perrella

  • Visitors enjoying Codebreakers

    21 Dec 2023

    School Holidays at the WA Museum

    Are you looking for the ultimate way to entertain the kids throughout the school holidays? The Western Australian Museum is brimming with a wide variety of programs and events, ensuring children of all ages are entertained across our six locations around the State! Here are some highlights, but for the complete list of activities, click HERE. See you soon at the WA Museum!


    WA MUSEUM BOOLA BARDIP

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    Kasper Johansen

  • Proshermacha telaporta

    8 Dec 2023

    Two new species of trapdoor spiders discovered in Western Australia

    A research team led by Dr Mark Harvey from the Western Australian Museum’s Terrestrial Zoology department has discovered two new species of trapdoor spiders, bringing the total of named trapdoor spiders to over 200 in WA.

    The other researchers, Dr Jeremy Wilson from the University of Western Australia, and Dr Michael Rix from the Queensland Museum, assisted in the study.

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    News
    Flora Perrella

  • Diver on SS Xantho bow

    28 Nov 2023

    New display at WA Shipwrecks Museum gives visitors a deeper insight into Western Australia’s first coastal steamship.

    A new visitor experience at the WA Shipwrecks Museum will open this Saturday 2 December with SS Xantho: unlocking hidden stories of our State which explores the amazing story of Western Australia’s first coastal steamship.

    In this exhibition, visitors will engage in new multi-media and interactive platforms to explore the story of how one family and the SS Xantho were intricately linked to the social, economic, and cultural development of Western Australia in the late 1800’s.

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    News
    Flora Perrella

  • 27 Nov 2023

    WA Museum is on the lookout for Collections and Research Volunteers

    Our Western Australian Museum passionate volunteers make a significant contribution to our organisation in a variety of roles by donating their valuable time, knowledge and resources.

    We are currently recruiting for enthusiastic volunteers for WA Museum’s Collections and Research Legacy Project so if you would like to play a vital part in supporting curatorial and collections staff then please take a read of how to get in touch.

    Legacy Project Overview

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    News
    Deanna Watson

  • Specimens of Dasycercus hillieri (left) and Dasycercus archer (right)

    2 Nov 2023

    Six new species of mulgara identified - four believed to be already extinct.

    The Western Australian Museum collaborated with Curtin University on an exciting research project shedding light on three previously undiscovered species of mulgara from the WA Museum’s collection.

    These small carnivorous marsupials, vital to the arid and semi-arid regions of Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory are similar to the Tasmanian Devil and quoll in their ecological importance.

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    News
    Flora Perrella

  • 26 Oct 2023

    The WA Maritime Museum's much loved HMAS Ovens submarine has re-opened!

    The official reopening of the Western Australian Museum’s much-loved HMAS Ovens submarine by Culture and the Arts Minister, Hon. David Templeman, takes place this morning at the WA Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

    The former Royal Australian Navy Oberon class submarine HMAS Ovens was launched in 1967. After decommissioning in 1995, the submarine was gifted to the Western Australian Museum and docked on the historic No.1 Slipway adjacent to the WA Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

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    News
    Madeleine Pengelly

  • Queer Powerpoint hosts Xanthe Dobbie and Harriet Gilles clap and present during Queer PowerPoint at WA Museum Boola Bardip.

    23 Oct 2023

    Prepare for a Pride takeover this Live Arts season at Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip

    From queer tours to some of the most extraordinary PowerPoints ever presented, Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip is set to host a roster of PrideFEST 2023 activities this November.

    The November iteration of the QUoir will get the ball rolling on Wednesday 8 November, a community choir for everyone and anyone who feels the need to shake off the stress of every day in communal song. Led by Queency and Tara John of the WA Bad Ass Gospel Choir.

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    News
    Kasper Johansen

  • 10 Oct 2023

    The WA Museum Boola Bardip is a finalist in the 2023 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards!

    We are thrilled to be nominated as a finalist in the 2023 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, presented by the Tourism Council Western Australia. The Awards recognise businesses, individuals, and destinations, for their commitment to excellence.

    Sitting at the heart of the Perth Cultural Centre precinct, the WA Museum Boola Bardip is where Western Australia’s stories come alive, making it the must-see tourist destination for intrastate, interstate, and international travellers.

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    Madeleine Pengelly

  • A young man with downs syndrome smiles down at a craft project they're making with string and popsicle sticks

    4 Oct 2023

    Expression of Interest: Western Australian Museum Kaya Wandjoo Club

    About the Program

    As part of our commitment to being an accessible Museum, the West Australian Museum - Boola Bardip is currently seeking to partner with an NDIS service provider who services communities of adults living with intellectual disability, to work with us during the 2023/24 financial year.

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    News
    Kasper Johansen

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