A new exhibition that took the Goldfields by storm will open at the Western Australian Museum - Geraldton on Saturday, 4 December.

Femme Fatale: The female criminal, which offers a rare insight into some of Australia’s wildest women, attracted about 10,000 visitors while on display at the WA Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Not for the faint-hearted, Femme Fatale explores criminology, the justice system, religion and myth, popular culture and case studies of some of Australia’s most notorious female criminals.

Mug shots for the touring exhibition were uncovered at Sydney’s Justice & Police Museum which houses more than 130,000 forensic negatives – originally created by police between 1912 and 1964.

Exhibition curator Nerida Campbell, said the photographs provided a stark contrast to the glamorised femmes fatales seen in films and other popular culture.

”Women who commit crimes have always intrigued society,” Ms Campbell said.

“For example, Lana Turner was the quintessential Hollywood femme fatale - the seductress we see in films who is attractive, independent and intelligent, and uses her sexuality against men who are unable to resist her.

‘Yet the reality for most female criminals turns out to be a hard, dysfunctional and violent life – brutalised and degraded by further stints in prison.”

Geraldton residents can ready themselves for the exhibition by seeing The Postman Always Rings Twice, a classic portrayal of the femme fatale by Lana Tuner at the Saltdish courtyard this Saturday, 27 November. Gates open at 6.30pm and the movie starts at 7.00pm. Tickets are $10 and chairs, food and drink are BYO. The film is presented as part of IndieAir’s Black and White Christmas Film Festival with two more films on December 8 and 24.

Femme Fatale: The female criminal is a travelling exhibition from the Historic Houses Trust of NSW. It opens at the WA Museum - Geraldton on Saturday 4 December.

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Caroline Lacy on (08) 92123860 or 0414 381761