TripAdvisor®, the travel planning and booking site, today announced the winners of its Travellers’ Choice™ awards for Museums. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for museums around the world, gathered over a 12-month period.
“There are an array of significant cultural institutions across the globe including Australia, as highlighted by this year’s Travellers’ Choice awards for Museums,” says TripAdvisor spokesperson, Joanne Kershaw. “From the National Anzac Centre in Albany to the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre in Murwillumbah, these museums are enriching and can be both an inspiring and educational experience for all travellers, even for Aussies who don’t live far away.”
The National Anzac Centre in Albany was ranked No1 in the list across Australia. Albany Major, Dennis Wellington shares his delight:
“The National Anzac Centre is thrilled to receive the Travellers’ Choice accolade which adds to a growing collection of award recognition for the Centre. Albany is extremely proud of the National Anzac Centre and the tribute it is to our Anzac heroes. It is a deeply moving and spiritual experience to visit and provides greater insight into what our diggers endured and their bravery during World War I.”
TripAdvisor has also identified useful visitor tips for those planning to visit one or all of these winning museums.
Top 10 Museums in Australia
- National Anzac Centre – Albany
Overlooking King George Sound, the museum commemorates the lives of more than 41,000 men and women who set out for war in 1914. It offers visitors a chance to experience WWI by assuming the identities of 32 Anzac-related characters and following their life journeys through a series of interactive exhibits.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “This is a place you must visit. It will take your breath away. Allow at least an hour or more to go through the centre and experience everything. It will take your breath away with the stories you read.”
- National Gallery of Victoria – Melbourne
Founded in 1861, the National Gallery of Victoria has been cited as the oldest and most visited art museum in the country. The museum boasts one of the world’s finest art collections and has a dedicated Oceanic gallery that showcases the indigenous cultures of the Pacific area.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “Best advice would be to pre-book tickets online--particularly if you're visiting during weekends/holidays.”
- Melbourne Museum – Melbourne
This award-winning museum is the largest in the Southern hemisphere, housing an IMAX theatre, a touring hall and seven main galleries showcasing outstanding exhibits on natural environment, culture and history, as well as a special gallery for younger visitors.
- Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre – Murwillumbah
With six exhibition spaces featuring historical and contemporary artworks, The Gallery also showcases a world class collection of portraits representing Australians from all walks of life. The museum launched the Margaret Olley Art Centre in 2014, housing objects from the studio of its namesake - Australia’s most celebrated painter of still life and interiors.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “Go on a weekday, arrive early, and immediately book a table with a view for lunch at the café. Then you can view the exhibitions at your leisure.”
- Art Gallery of New South Wales – Sydney
With over 30,000 Australian, European and Asian works in its collection, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is Sydney’s leading art museum. Visitors to the museum are also rewarded to magnificent vistas of the Sydney harbour in the backdrop.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “Download the gallery's app and follow an audio guide on your smart phone. There is also a gallery Wi-Fi that you can use.”
- Questacon – Canberra
As the national science and technology centre, Questacon inspires and educates its visitors with over 200 interactive experiences. Its eight galleries feature themed exhibits, from astronomy to zoology, catering to all age groups.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “My advice is to start at the top floor and work your way down. Take it slowly – don't try and fit in all the shows on offer.”
Ranked as the top attraction in Darwin, this museum is a new entrant to the top 10 Travellers’ Choice museums in Australia. As the Top End’s premier art and cultural institution, it houses the best travelling exhibitions from around the country and showcases the region’s natural and maritime history through its diverse collections of artefacts.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “Go to the museum on Thursday or Sunday and after that have a 1-2 km walk on the seaside track that takes you to Mindil Beach Market. The track has some nice lookouts and you can really see how wild Darwin still is, even though it's Northern Territory's capital.”
- National Vietnam Veterans Museum – Newhaven
In tribute to the Vietnam veterans who took part in Australia’s longest war, the museum takes its visitors on a journey from the perspective of a soldier. Visitors can view thousands of artefacts donated by veterans, as well as military equipment such as helicopters, tanks and bombers used in the Vietnam War.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “It’s definitely worth taking your time and looking at all the memorabilia that the Museum has on show. You must ensure that you watch the light and sound show before looking at the rest of the displays.”
- Gallery of Modern Art – Brisbane
Lauded by TripAdvisor reviewers as a world-class gallery, the museum holds an impressive collection of over 17,000 international works of historical, modern and contemporary art. A family-friendly attraction, it also houses the Children’s Art Centre that works with leading artists to create interactive installations and artworks for children.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “Add in a "recovery stop" in the River Lounge in the second level and enjoy the views, books, and quiet before setting out for more discoveries.”
- Defence of Darwin Experience – Darwin
Featuring an interactive exhibition space that promises an immersive and multi-sensory experience, the museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore Darwin’s wartime heritage and the Territory’s involvement in WWII.
TripAdvisor Review Tip: “We got to the museum on Darwin's Hop-on Hop-off bus and would recommend it to others. It's quite far from Darwin CBD so a taxi would probably be comparable price to the HOHO bus. Plus you get a guided tour of the best of Darwin.”
High-res imagery can be downloaded here.
Top 10 Museums in the World:
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art – New York City, United States
- Art Institute of Chicago – Chicago, United States
- State Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace – St. Petersburg, Russia
- Musee d’Orsay – Paris, France
- National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropologia) – Mexico City, Mexico
- The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum – New York City, United States
- Prado National Museum – Madrid, Spain
- British Museum – London, United Kingdom
- Acropolis Museum – Athens, Greece
- Vasa Museum – Stockholm, Sweden
For the complete list of winners from the 2016 Travellers’ Choice Museums, as well as reviews and candid traveller photos, go to: www.tripadvisor.com.au/TravelersChoice-Museums.
TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel site**. Travellers can read millions of reviews and opinions and book their next trip at: www.tripadvisor.com.au.
