Exploring museums is a fantastic way for children to learn while having fun. Australia is home to numerous family-friendly museums that offer interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and fascinating insights into history, science, and culture.
Below is the list of some of the engaging museums for kids in Australia.
Western Australia
- Gravity Discovery Centre, Gingin – A hands-on science museum where kids can learn about physics, astronomy, and the wonders of space.
- The Perth Mint, Perth – A fascinating museum showcasing Australia’s gold mining history, with live gold pouring demonstrations and historic coins.
Northern Territory
- Darwin Aviation Museum, Darwin – A thrilling museum featuring aircraft, including a massive B-52 bomber, showcasing the history of aviation in Australia.
- Darwin Military Museum, Darwin – A historical museum that provides insight into the Northern Territory’s role in World War II through interactive exhibits.
- Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility, Darwin – An educational museum where kids can learn about the history of medical services in Australia's outback.
- Darwin's WWII Oil Storage Tunnels, Darwin – A historical site where families can explore tunnels built during World War II, providing a glimpse into Australia's wartime efforts.
Tasmania
- Bass Strait Maritime Museum, Devonport – A museum dedicated to Tasmania’s maritime history, with model ships and fascinating nautical artefacts.
- Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre, Beaconsfield – An interactive museum where kids can explore the history of gold mining and see historic mining equipment.
- Devonport Regional Gallery, Devonport – A cultural attraction featuring contemporary and historical artworks, perfect for budding young artists.
- Don River Railway, Devonport – A heritage railway museum where families can ride restored steam trains and learn about Tasmania’s railway history.
- Launceston Tramway Museum, Launceston – A museum showcasing restored trams and offering tram rides to experience the transport of the past.
- Low Head Pilot Station Maritime Museum, Low Head – A maritime museum featuring shipwrecks, lighthouse history, and navigational instruments.
- Maritime Museum Hobart, Hobart – A fascinating collection of maritime artefacts, ship models, and interactive exhibits.
- National Automobile Museum of Tasmania, Launceston – A museum showcasing vintage and classic cars, perfect for young automobile enthusiasts.
- Old Hobart Town, Richmond – A miniature model village that offers an engaging history lesson about early colonial life in Tasmania.
- Pooseum, Richmond – A quirky yet educational museum focused on animal waste and digestion, making science fun and entertaining for kids.
- Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Hobart – A diverse museum featuring natural history, Aboriginal heritage, and contemporary art.
- West Coast Heritage Centre, Zeehan – A museum that explores the mining history of Tasmania’s rugged west coast.
- The Shot Tower Historic Site, Taroona – A historical site where families can climb the tower and learn about lead shot production.
- Derby Schoolhouse Museum, Derby – A heritage museum showcasing Tasmania’s early education system.
- Bass and Flinders Maritime Museum, George Town – A museum dedicated to Australian explorers Bass and Flinders.
- Deloraine and District Folk Museum, Deloraine – A museum that provides insight into Tasmania’s rural history and early settlers.
New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory
- Canberra Museum and Gallery, Canberra – A museum featuring exhibits on Canberra’s history, art, and culture.
- Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra – A museum dedicated to naval aviation history, featuring aircraft displays and flight simulators.
- Jervis Bay Museum, Jervis Bay – A museum showcasing Indigenous history, local wildlife, and maritime heritage.
- Museum of Australian Democracy, Canberra – A museum that teaches kids about democracy and the role of government through interactive exhibits.
- National Gallery of Australia, Canberra – A world-class art museum with family-friendly activities and workshops.
- National Museum of Australia, Canberra – A museum exploring Australia’s history, culture, and people.
- Royal Australian Mint, Canberra – A museum where kids can learn about coin-making and Australia's currency history.
- St. Mary MacKillop Eden Museum, Eden – A museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Australia’s first saint.
- UOW Science Space Wollongong, Wollongong – A science museum filled with hands-on experiments, interactive exhibits, and educational programs.
Victoria
- Eureka Centre Ballarat, Ballarat – A museum dedicated to the Eureka Rebellion, with engaging exhibits on Australia’s democracy movement.
- Fire Services Museum of Victoria, Melbourne – A museum showcasing historic fire trucks and firefighting history.
- Golden Dragon Museum, Bendigo – A museum celebrating Chinese culture and heritage in Australia.
- Museums Victoria, Melbourne – A collection of museums covering science, history, and cultural exhibits.
- National Vietnam Veterans Museum, Phillip Island – A museum that educates visitors about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
- Port of Echuca Wharf, Paddlesteamers & Museum, Echuca – A heritage site showcasing the paddle steamers that played a role in Australia’s river trade.
- Scienceworks, Melbourne – A science and technology museum with interactive exhibits that encourage curiosity and discovery.
- State Coal Mine, Wonthaggi – A museum offering underground tours to showcase the history of coal mining in Victoria.
- Bellarine Railway, Queenscliff – A heritage railway experience featuring historic trains.
- Bendigo Talking Tram, Bendigo – A living museum that provides narrated tram tours through Bendigo’s historic streets.
- Central Deborah Gold Mine, Bendigo – A gold mining museum where kids can go underground and learn about mining techniques.
- Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool – A maritime museum featuring shipwreck history and interactive displays.
- Ziebell’s Farmhouse Museum, Thomastown – A heritage site that showcases early German settlement in Victoria.