Audience watching a two-channel video of Australia's outback as the shadowed figure of a child runs in front of the projection

Berndt Museum

Housed at The University of Western Australia, the Berndt Museum is an Indigenous-led institution that holds one of the most significant collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural material in the world.

Acknowledgement of Country

The Berndt Museum acknowledges the Whadjuk Noongar people as the traditional owners of the land on which it is situated. The Whadjuk Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land, and continue to practice their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.

About the Berndt Museum

In 2020 the Museum joined the University’s Indigenous Portfolio, recognising the need for Indigenous collections to be cared for by Indigenous people and adhere to cultural protocols. We recognise that for Indigenous people, objects and works of art can be living representations that hold cultural and spiritual significance.

The Museum cares for extensive collections of material culture and art, along with archives containing photographs, sound and film recordings, and a reference library. While the primary focus of the collection relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, it also extends globally to Melanesia and Southeast Asia, spanning regions like China, India, Japan, and Egypt.
Hands opening a large bound book to a photocopied notebook page

Berndt Field Notes Archive

The Berndt Field Notes Archive is held by the Berndt Museum. After 30 years under embargo, the Museum is pleased to be working with Indigenous and descendant communities to access materials containing cultural knowledge.

A crowd of people sitting in a gallery with a series of colourful Aboriginal paintings in the background

Programs & exhibitions

The Museum produces exhibitions drawn from our collection and commissions new works that recontextualise our collection and archives in partnership with our venue partners. Learn more about current, upcoming and past programs and exhibitions.

Get in touch

Accessing the collection

To access our collection, please complete the Access Request Form. We recommend getting in touch at least 6–8 weeks in advance when organising a collection visit.

Our details

Opening hours: Visits by appointment only
Phone:
+61 8 6488 2854
Email: [email protected]
Location: Undercroft of Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway (cnr Fairway), Perth, Western Australia 6009

More about the Berndt Museum

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