30 Oct 2019Stunning underwater images throw light on Australia’s worst naval disaster For more than 66 years the wrecks of two ships destroyed in what is still Australia’s worst ever naval disaster sat silently on the ocean floor, their location a mystery. HMAS Sydney II and the German raider HSK Kormoran both sank after a short, fierce battle in November 1941. 81 men from Kormoran died. All 645 men on Sydney were lost.Read more News Flora Perrella
22 Oct 2019Striking mask exhibition opens at Museum of Geraldton An exhibition of 12 striking masks and related cultural materials celebrating the rich and continuing tradition of mask making in Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait) opens this Saturday, 26 October, at the Museum of Geraldton. On display for the first time in Western Australia, Evolution: Torres Strait Masks explores the long-standing importance of ceremonial masks in Torres Strait culture, and how they influence contemporary art forms.Read more News Flora Perrella
9 Oct 2019Expression of Interest: Unique Harbourside Opportunity Fremantle‘A’ Shed Redevelopment Fremantle Ports and the Western Australian Museum are seeking expressions of interest for the redevelopment and leasing of one of WA’s most iconic locations - the heritage-listed ‘A’ Shed on Victoria Quay, facing the Inner Harbour.Read more News Katherine Jeffries
2 Oct 2019Exciting marine discovery in deep sea canyon off Perth A biodiversity expedition to the Perth Canyon Marine Park – described by international experts as one of Australia’s subsea treasures – has discovered five new species of deep sea glass sponges, exciting scientists about the prospect of further exploration and future discoveries.Read more News Flora Perrella
26 Sep 2019Expression of Interest: Museum of the Goldfields Advisory CommitteeThe WA Museum is seeking expressions of interest from residents of the Goldfields region to join the Advisory Committee of the Museum of the Goldfields. The primary role of the Advisory Committee is to link the Museum with the community it serves. This is “two-way” liaison: representing the community to the Museum and acting as an advocate for the Museum in the community. The Advisory Committee meets 2 - 4 times per year to consider general business and being a member is a non-remunerated position.Read more News Katherine Jeffries
18 Sep 2019Night Sky: Proposals Sought from Nyoongar Artists Image copyright Trevor Dobson The WA Museum is seeking proposals from Nyoongar artists for a commissioned artwork about the night sky. The original artwork is for display in the New Museum for WA, which opens in late 2020 in the Perth Cultural Centre.Read more Article Erika Jellis
12 Sep 2019New purple-loving barnacle discovered off WA coast A new species of barnacle, Membranobalanus porphyrophilus, has been named and described after being discovered living on reefs off Rottnest Island. The striking purple-coloured barnacle was first identified in Western Australia and was later found in the South Australian Museum collection, having been collected in waters around Kangaroo Island. Western Australian Museum Curator of Aquatic Zoology, Mr Andrew Hosie, said the barnacle was discovered during fieldwork by the Museum’s Aquatic Zoology Department.Read more News Flora Perrella
26 Aug 2019Central Kimberley reef communities survive global coral bleachingRemote reef communities in the central inshore Kimberley survived the 2016 global bleaching event, giving hope to Western Australian marine scientists looking to find ways to combat the effects of climate change. A recent publication confirms the breakthrough discovery by a team of Western Australian Museum scientists. The researchers examined the composition and health of marine organisms at 13 coral reef sites in the Bonaparte Archipelago – a largely inaccessible area of the inshore central Kimberley.Read more News Hillary Henry
23 Aug 2019Experience Antarctica at the Museum of GeraldtonA spectacular virtual reality adventure that takes viewers on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the mysterious continent of Antarctica will open at the Museum of Geraldton on Friday 30 August.Read more News Flora Perrella
1 Aug 2019Celebrate astronomy with the Museum of GeraldtonAn out-of-this-world exhibition featuring stunning images of star trails, night-scapes, and the solar system will be on display at the Museum of Geraldton from 2 August. The 2019 Astrofest Astrophotography Exhibition, supported by the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, celebrates the best of Western Australian astro-photographers who have recorded stunning astronomical landscape images in locations throughout Western Australia and beyond.Read more News Flora Perrella
25 Jul 2019Captivating images of the natural world on show at the Museum of the Great SouthernThe 2018 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year collection will go on display at the Museum of the Great Southern on Thursday 1 August. The stunning exhibition, produced by the South Australian Museum, celebrates the beauty of the natural world through photographs by professional, emerging and amateur photographers who have shown impeccable timing, artistry and technique to capture our extraordinary world. As ever, there is an extremely impressive junior section.Read more News Flora Perrella
16 Jul 2019Expression of Interest: WA Museum Aboriginal Advisory CommitteeThe WA Museum is seeking expressions of interest from Western Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples to join its Aboriginal Advisory Committee. The Committee’s role is to advise the WA Museum on issues relating to:Read more News Western Australian Museum
3 Jul 2019Planet Shark: Predator or PreyFrom this Saturday the WA Maritime Museum is shining a light into the world of some of the most misunderstood animals on Earth, sharks. Western Australian Museum CEO Alec Coles said the Museum’s latest exhibition Planet Shark: Predator or Prey, developed by Grande Exhibitions with assistance from experts in sharks, aquariums, and ocean cinematography, travelled through Europe and the US with a determined focus on creating a greater understanding of these incredible animals.Read more News Flora Perrella
28 Jun 2019WA Museum celebrates strong relationship with the NetherlandsThe Ambassador to Australia of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Her Excellency Mrs Marion Derckx, has taken a hard hat tour of WA’s New Museum site in the Perth Cultural Centre to see first-hand where some of the stories of our significant shared cultural heritage will be on display.Read more News Hillary Henry
6 Jun 2019World Oceans Day The Western Australian Museum’s Aquatic Zoology department boasts a wide collection of specimens ranging from tiny crustaceans to large shark skeletons. These specimens are either wet specimens preserved in alcohol or dry specimens stored in glass jars. Diving head first during fieldwork expeditions, we have a dedicated team of researchers who are responsible for building and contributing to these collections and the stories behind the specimens.Read more Article
6 Jun 2019Barnacles: The Forgotten SpeciesImagine spending most of your life standing on your head and eating with your feet. Sounds impossible? Well, that’s exactly how barnacles spend most of their lives.Read more Article
6 Jun 2019Never Underestimate The Power Of MolluscsRanging from snails to clams to octopus, Molluscs are the second largest group of marine invertebrates (animals without a backbone). Dr Lisa Kirkendale, Curator of Molluscs in the Western Australian Museum describes these invertebrates as 4 groups:Read more Article
6 Jun 2019Nudibranchs, The Rock Stars Of Our Oceans Brightly coloured and slow-moving, these creatures are pretty easy to identify and hard to forget once you’ve seen them. Nudibranchs are mesmerizing sea slugs that gracefully slither across our oceans.Read more Article
6 Jun 2019Ocean Cleaners Under ThreatWhen you think of sponges, the first thing that comes to mind would probably be the cleaning sponge in your kitchen. Believe it or not, those cleaning sponges used to come from the ocean. Divers walked along ocean floors plucking sponges off the sea bottom.Read more Article
29 May 2019Dive into the gritty story of the pearling industry and its peopleLustre: Pearling & Australia, an exhibition showcasing the unique and important role that pearls and pearling have played in our nation’s history, returns to Western Australia for its premier regional tour opening at the Museum of the Goldfields this Saturday 25 May 2019.Read more News Hillary Henry