Guide to the WA Museum Boola Bardip with Dinos and Moonshine

At the WA Museum Boola Bardip, we discovered that the past isn’t just a dusty old relic. Inside, art, culture, nature, and even space are front and center, making history as lively as paleontologists in a fossil-filled dig site.

The museum also has beasts that are larger than life—literally. From a whale that stretches across an entire room to the scaly overlords that once ruled the Earth, the giants here are jaw-droppers and reminders of how lucky we are to not share the planet with them.

That’s enough spoilers for now, though. Dig into the details below to learn what the museum has in store for you!

Things to Know

Address: Perth Cultural Center

Contact Details: 1300 134 081

Operating Hours: Daily – 9:30 am to 5 pm

General Admissions:

Standard – $15
Members – Free with membership
Concession – $10
Junior (15 years and younger) – Free
Carer (Must present valid WA Companion card) – Free

How to Get to WA Museum Boola Bardip

By Bus: To reach the museum via bus, use bus routes 41, 42, 48, 55, 60, 66, 67, 68, or 950. These will take you to the Blue Cat Museum stop, which is a 5-minute (350 m) walk to the WA Museum Boola Bardip.

By Train: The Perth Train Station is just a short 200-meter walk from the museum. The station services the Fremantle, Joondalup, Armadale, Mandurah, and Midland lines, along with Transwa’s Australind service.

By Car: Unfortunately, there are no parking facilities at the museum itself, but several public car parks are nearby, like the ACROD parking at the City of Perth State Library and the City of Perth Cultural Center Carpark.

By Taxi: Beaufort St is the closest drop-off point from the museum’s entrance. Keep in mind that fares in Perth fluctuate depending on the day and time. Here’s a quick overview of the pricing structure.

Tariff 1 – 6 am to 5:59 pm
Flagfall	Distance Rate	Booking Fee	Waiting Time
$5.10	2.04/km	$1.80	$58/hr
Tariff 2 – 6 pm to 5:59 am (including all day Saturday and Sunday)
Flagfall	Distance Rate	Booking Fee	Waiting Time
$7.30	2.04/km	$1.80	$58/hr
Ultra Peak (12 am to 02:59 am on Friday and Saturday only)
Flagfall	Distance Rate	Booking Fee	Waiting Time
$7.30 + $4.30	2.04/km	$1.80	$58/hr

Permanent Exhibits

Innovations Gallery

From wamuseum

True to its name, the Innovations Gallery is where big, bold ideas get the limelight. With stigma-breaking fashion, striking art, and revolutionary science creations on display, it made us realize how innovative Western Australians can be.

What had us wide-eyed, though, was the massive overhead helicopter model that’s kind of the gallery’s centerpiece. Our team also enjoyed looking at the brilliant art of the Tjanpi Desert Weavers and the magnum opuses of the legendary painter Robert Juniper.

Wild Life Gallery

From wamuseum

The Wild Life Gallery provides a glimpse into Western Australia’s natural wonders. It’s no shocker that the displays focus on our region’s fauna, showcasing everything from prehistoric underwater giants to those small forest-dwelling spiders.

There’s also a 16-m sauropod dinosaur model that had our kids feeling a bit jumpy, but trust us, it’s worth a thousand selfies. Plus, there are interactive zones where we listened to croaking frogs and witnessed augmented reality displays of extinct species.

WA Treasures Gallery

From westernaustralia

The WA Treasures Gallery stole our hearts with the museum’s best-kept secrets. Each item tells a fascinating tale, such as the American bison taxidermy and the Cromwellian helmet that somehow made their way to Perth.

Yet none can compare to the jaw-dropping 24-meter blue whale skeleton that hangs from the ceiling like a watchful guardian. This was first discovered in 1897 and is arguably the museum’s main attraction today—a notion supported by our fossil-loving teammates.

Reflections Gallery

From wamuseum

No, the Reflections Gallery is not about mirrors. This section focuses on social history, from the moments that defined Western Australia’s sports culture to war tales that highlight agony and bravery.

Additionally, there are displays featuring products from the good old days, complete with pictures and stories that might hit you right in the feels. Just a heads up, though—some stories can be haunting, especially the ones about infant mortality and cultural conflicts.

Origins Gallery

From wamuseum

Ah, the Origins Gallery, where strolling felt like a time-traveling escapade. Here, we learned about the origins of life, from ancient landscapes to the solar system—all through the lens of Aboriginal perspectives.

A few displays that left us in awe included the stunning wall of suspended minerals and 50,000-year-old cave artifacts. But the real showstopper? Getting to touch an actual meteorite. Talk about a cosmic connection!

Illuminate

From wamuseum

Illuminate paints the museum’s Old Gaol in a new light. This is a permanent light show that projects Western Australia’s past and identity in a way that’s as colorful as it is captivating.

The themes regularly change, and when we dropped by, it was all about endangered species. It was undeniably breathtaking, transporting us from one ecosystem to another and bringing us eye-to-eye with various animal herds—without ever leaving Perth.

Changes Gallery

From tobiastitzphotography

Evolution—that’s the Changes Gallery in a nutshell. It also stirred up several questions in us, like “Did technology really help our resources?” and “How did Aboriginals transform landscapes without a single power tool?”

Alongside all the evolutionary brain teasers, the gallery provided our team with a detailed tour of the region’s ecosystems, plants, and critters through models and pictures. It also doesn’t shy away from issues we’re still grappling with, thanks to human interference.

Digital Public Art Program

From wamuseum

With fresh works from Aboriginal artists, the Digital Public Art Program explores powerful themes like the Stolen Generation and matriarchal leadership. It also proves that Aboriginal art can wow you in digital form.

Featured artists include Brad Coleman, who collaborated with Nyoongar artists Laurel and Brett Nannup to animate Laurel’s woodcuts and linocuts. There’s also Patrick Carter, the virtuoso who created “Kaya Boodja,” merging painting, dance, song, and animation.

Special Exhibits and Tours

To the Moon

From wamuseum

Schedule: Daily – Until October 7, 2024

Prices:

Standard – $15
Concession – $12.50
Junior (5 to 15) – $12.50
Junior (0 to 4) – Free
2 Adults and 2 Juniors, or 1 Adult and 3 Juniors – $50

Bathed in lunar glow and magic, To The Moon is a cosmic trip you can’t afford to skip. From moonlit art to ancient dreamtime tales, it’s simply an out-of-this-world experience.

At the heart of the event is a massive 7-meter moon replica that flaunts 120 dpi NASA imagery. In simpler terms, the model’s quality isn’t far from the real thing, and even if you’re not a space geek, you’ll be over the moon.

Family Tour: WA Dinosaurs

From wamuseum

Schedule: Saturdays only – 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Price: Included with general admissions but booking is essential

Family Tour: WA Dinosaurs has probably attracted more families than your local park. Western Australia’s prehistoric titans star here, from the ferocious theropods with wolverine-like claws to gentle giants with necks that will put giraffes’ to shame.

Beyond the models, fossils abound—bones, teeth, and everything in between. Interactive displays and educational panels keep things interesting, too, and a guide will share stories about the prehistoric reptiles.

Nyumbi

From wamuseum

Schedule: Saturdays only – 11 am

Price: Free

The 45-minute Nyumbi is an engaging celebration of Nyoongar culture, featuring live songs, dances, and smoking ceremonies from various Nyoongar groups every week.

You can also join a guided tour highlighting stories of Aboriginal communities throughout Western Australia. Furthermore, there’s a nearby exhibit showcasing the Aboriginal peoples’ profound insights into healing, spirituality, art, and more.

Spinifex People: Art and Stories from Pila Nguru

From johncarty77

Schedule:

March 21, 2025 – 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
March 22, 2025 – 9:30 pm to 12 am

Price: Included with general admissions

The Spinifex People, also known as the Pila Nguru, are the traditional custodians of the Great Victoria Desert region in Western Australia. And if you want to immerse yourself in their culture, don’t miss Spinifex People: Art and Stories from Pila Nguru.

This exhibit is overflowing with contemporary and traditional paintings, each telling the tales and experiences of this significant group. In terms of artistry, your eyes and mind will feast on geometric patterns, bold colors, and cultural symbols.

Red Light Tour (18+)

From whereisfi

Schedule:

October 5, 2024 – 3 pm to 4 pm
November 2, 2024 – 3 pm to 4 pm
December 7, 2024 – 3 pm to 4 pm

Price: Included with general admissions but booking is essential

Risqué, cheeky, and factual, the Red Light Tour is not your everyday museum experience. It’s a fascinating and often humorous dive into the region’s history of sex, relationships, and societal norms—because who doesn’t want a side of scandal with their history lesson?

Participants will learn about curiosity-piquing topics, including the Kalgoorlie brothel token, which dates back to the 1900s. Believed to be a clever way to lure customers, this relic has a titillating history that’s worth uncovering.

Remarkable Reptiles Up Close

From wamuseum

Schedule: Sundays only – 10 am to 10:30 am

Price: Included with general admissions but booking is essential

The tour’s name, Remarkable Reptiles Up Close, says it all—no non-scaly surprises here. Reptiles of all sizes and colors take center stage, including the eye-catching Western Pilbara spiny-tailed skink.

To top it off, there are interactive displays and informational panels here that talk about several reptile species, their habitats, and their roles in the ecosystem.

Hope, Hardship, and a Fortunate Life

From wamuseum

Schedule:

October 11, 2024 – 7 pm to 9 pm
October 12, 2024 – 7 pm to 9 pm

Prices:

A Reserve – $95
B Reserve – $85
C Reserve – $75

Hope, Hardship, and a Fortunate Life brings Albert Facey’s autobiography to life in a way that’s anything but ordinary. You can expect a story that weaves through his upbringing, wartime adventures, and a love story that even Hollywood would envy.

This narrative concert also features Facey’s granddaughter as the narrator and blends impeccable storytelling and striking visuals. In addition, the musical aspect is backed by the Perth Symphony Orchestra, so you know the tunes are top-tier.