15 Of The Weirdest Museums To Visit In Australia

Prepare to have your mind blown at the country’s wackiest homages to, well, whatever really.

Dinosaur bones, sculptures, ancient relics – who needs them? When we visit a museum, we’re ready to be shocked and awed by something truly out of the ordinary.

It’s why we’ve grown obsessed with Australia’s weirdest museums, scattered right across the country to shine a light on the far less explored. From a globally acclaimed poo machine and actual human specimens to Ned Kelly’s kitchen and submerged sculptures, our round-up of the oddest museums is guaranteed to entertain.

1. Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Tas

It’s plenty wonderful but the home of Tassie’s famed poo machine is categorically weird.

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is one of the Apple Isle’s most iconic attractions and while the exhibits are reliably thought-provoking and genius, nobody can argue that Cloaca Professional, which very genuinely replicates the gastroenterological food journey, is quite like anything else.

the external shot of Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) Pharos Lawn, Tas — MONA is one of Tasmania’s most iconic attractions. (Image: MONA/Jesse Hunniford)

Other onsite curiosities include the car space reserved for ‘God’ where MONA creator David Walsh parks and a wall of sculptured vulvas.

Cunts and other conversations by Greg Taylor artwork in MONA — Greg Taylor’s wall of vulvas is a must-see artwork at MONA. (Image: MONA/Jesse Hunniford)

Address: 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania

Admission price: $38 per adult.

2. Cyril Callister Museum, Vic

Putting a rose in every cheek, the Cyril Callister Museum in regional Victoria is an ode to the creator of Vegemite within a converted petrol station.

a converted petrol station at Cyril Callister Museum — The Cyril Callister Museum is an ode to the creator of Vegemite.

Opened by the Cyril Callister Foundation to share the story behind their condiment saviour, the museum charts his upbringing and achievements, so expect to see fascinating memorabilia and a stack of Vegemite merch (which, let’s be real, is why people visit).

See a stack of Vegemite merch at Cyril Callister Museum.

T-shirts, glassware, books and sweet corduroy caps provide plenty of opportunities to pay tribute to the Aussie legend beyond this weird museum.

Vegemite dress and other fascinating memorabilia at the Cyril Callister Museum — Expect to see fascinating memorabilia.

Address: 23 Neill Street, Beaufort, Victoria

Admission price: Free but donations are welcome.

3. Museum of Underwater Art, Qld

Forget everything you know about museums. This one’s from another world – an underwater world. The Museum of Underwater Art is weird in the most serene, soul-stirring way, encompassing a series of underwater sculptures that are mainly accessible via scuba diving or snorkelling.

scuba diving into the Museum of Underwater Art, Qld — Dive into the unique Museum of Underwater Art. (Image: Jason de Caires Taylor)

Dozens of works including the standout Coral Greenhouse, which broke the Guinness World Record for the largest underwater art structure, dazzle from just beyond your mask.

sculptures in the Museum of Underwater Art, Qld — This museum is from another world – an underwater world. (Image: Jason de Caires Taylor)

Address: John Brewer Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

Admission price: Free to view however if you’d like to visit via vessel, multiple tour options are available.

4. Mad Max 2 Museum, NSW

Can’t get enough of the Mad Max franchise? Fang it to Silverton, a tiny mining town near Broken Hill in outback NSW, where a Mad Max 2 Museum has set up shop.

the exterior of Mad Max 2 Museum, NSW — Film enthusiasts shouldn’t miss the Mad Max 2 Museum.

Paying homage to ‘Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior’, which was filmed in town, the museum gathers awesome photography, never-before-seen footage, original and replica vehicles and frighteningly realistic life-size characters in full costume.

The wackiest part is you’re surrounded by the red dirt backdrop made famous by the film, so it’s all just very surreal.

a look inside Mad Max 2 Museum with replica vehicles — Find original and replica vehicles in the Mad Max 2 Museum.

Address: 2 Stirling Street, Silverton, NSW

Admission price: $10 per adult.

5. The Big Camera Museum of Photography, WA

How very meta you’ll feel snapping a selfie out the front of this enormous SLR 35mm camera-shaped façade, but no visit to The Big Camera Museum of Photography is complete without it.

the camera-shaped facade of The Big Camera Museum of Photography, WA — The Big Camera Museum of Photography has an enormous SLR 35mm camera-shaped façade.

Located along the highway, it’s the perfect pitstop to explore more than 1500 fully operational cameras spanning the decades plus a bunch of projectors, slides, kaleidoscopes and more.

camera displays inside The Big Camera Museum of Photography, WA — Inside, you’ll find more than 1500 fully operational cameras.

Address: Great Eastern Highway, Meckering, WA

Admission price: Free.

6. Museum of Human Disease, NSW

If COVID got your blood pumping in more ways than one, you’re probably exactly who the Museum of Human Disease is targeting.

Located within the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, the weird museum invites the public to view its extensive human tissue specimen collection which catalogues extraordinary histories and pathologies. Think all the big guns like cancer, stroke, HIV/AIDS, heart attack, diabetes and the effects of drugs.

the Museum of Human Disease, NSW — Visit the Museum of Human Disease at UNSW.

Address: Ground Floor, Samuels Building, UNSW Sydney, High Street, Kensington, NSW

Admission price: $10 per adult.

7. The Ned Kelly History Museum and Homestead, Vic

It’s not all that weird is it, memorialising the country’s most iconic outlaw? But wait until you see his homestead. At The Ned Kelly History Museum and Homestead located in Glenrowan, a small town in northeast Victoria, there’s a precise replica of Ned’s digs, filled with items that belonged to him and donated to the museum by his family.

the exterior of The Ned Kelly History Museum and Homestead, Vic — Explore The Ned Kelly History Museum and Homestead.

Cosy up in the convicted police murderer’s single bed or sniff out the adorable marsupial cooked in a pie on the kitchen bench. Weirdness abounds every corner of this architectural feat.

a look inside The Ned Kelly History Museum and Homestead, Vic — The museum has preserved quirky items that belonged to Australia’s most iconic outlaw.

Address: 35 Gladstone Street, Glenrowan, Victoria

Admission price: $12 per adult.

8. The Museum of Fire, NSW

Setting western Sydney ablaze with fire-related memorabilia, The Museum of Fire is one helluva hot ticket.

the facade of The Museum of Fire in Penrith NSW — Step into the intriguing world of fire. (Image: The Museum of Fire)

A playground for little ones intrigued by firefighters and fire trucks, as well anybody who appreciates the heroic work our community defenders perform daily, it’s filled with historical relics that span horse-drawn steamers and ancient switchboards, kid-specific interactive areas where they can live out their dreams and so much more.

fire trucks on display inside The Museum of Fire, Penrith NSW — The Museum of Fire is filled with historical relics. (Image: The Museum of Fire)

Address: 1 Museum Drive, Penrith, NSW

Admission price: $17 per adult and $8.50 per child.

9. Qantas Guinea Airways Hangar, NT

The colourful town of Parap in the Northern Territory is coming into its own and you can thank the Qantas Guinea Airways Hangar for playing its part in propelling things. The fascinating museum is in fact a giant hangar, built in 1934 for Qantas and utilised by the first Australia-England air service operated by the airline.

an external shot of the Qantas Guinea Airways Hangar, NT — The Qantas Guinea Airways Hangar is in fact a giant hangar.

Nowadays, it charts the state’s automotive history, so you’ll spy classic cars, an old fire engine, locomotives, steam and traction engines and delivery vehicles throughout this one-stop shop.

old vehicles on display inside Qantas Guinea Airways Hangar, NT — Find a huge collection of vintage cars at Qantas Guinea Airways Hangar.

Address: 22 Macdonald Street, Parap, Darwin, NT

Admission price: Free but donations are welcome.

10. The Academy of Taxidermy, WA

It will feel rather normal strolling through the Museum of Natural History in Guildford, Western Australia. That is until you seek out its Academy of Taxidermy .

animal displays inside The Academy of Taxidermy, WA — Find far-too-lifelike animal trophies at The Academy of Taxidermy.

Home to more than 2000 brilliantly stuffed items, including endangered fauna which is surprisingly moving, the weird museum is utterly jaw-dropping. Scan the cabinets and floors to find far-too-lifelike animal trophies, dinos, marine life, birds and other critters, all lovingly preserved by Master Taxidermist Michael Buzza.

Address: 131 James Street, Guildford, WA

Admission price: Free but donations are welcome.

11. Sydney Bus Museum, NSW

Seen one bus, seen them all? Evidently not. At the Sydney Bus Museum in Sydney’s inner west, you’ll be astonished to learn just how far buses have come over time as a collection of vintage builds that date as far back as the Second World War, fill out a 100-year-old tram shed.

people entering a vintage double decker, Sydney Bus Museum, NSW — Hop aboard a vintage double-decker at the Sydney Bus Museum.

Want to see them go? Get a kick out of jumping onboard a vintage double-decker for a ride through the city.

the Sydney Bus Museum in the city — You’ll be astonished to learn just how far buses have come over time.

Address: 25 Derbyshire Road, Leichhardt, NSW

Admission price: $20 per adult.

12. Faye’s Underground Home, SA

A weird museum like no other, Faye’s Underground Home in Coober Pedy is an authentic dugout built 40 years ago to escape the sweltering daylight climate and bone-cold desert nights.

a look inside Faye’s Underground Home in Coober Pedy — Faye’s Underground Home in Coober Pedy is an authentic dugout.

Maintaining an average temperature of 23 to 25 degrees no matter how high or low the mercury fluctuates outside, these dugouts are extraordinary, and this museum allows you to inspect every nook and cranny. Built using picks and shovels, the home is an astonishing portal into the town’s rich history.

the bedroom at Faye’s Underground Home, SA — This museum allows you to inspect every nook and cranny.

Address: Old Water Tank Road, Coober Pedy, SA

Admission price: $20 per person.

13. Victoria Police Museum, Vic

Can’t get enough of true crime? Deep dive into the culture capital’s captivating crime history at the Victoria Police Museum in the heart of Melbourne. More than 300 pieces fill the space, spanning police and forensic equipment, legitimate evidence and accounts from some of the city’s weirdest and most shocking crimes.

a look inside the Victoria Police Museum, Vic — Browse through a vast collection of policing themes at the Victoria Police Museum.

And if you’re a Ned Kelly nut, they’ve also gathered the country’s largest collection of his armour, so you’re sorted for a full day of fun.

a woman looking at Ned Kelly's iconic armours on display at the Victoria Police Museum, Vic — See Ned Kelly’s iconic armour up close.

Address: 313 Spencer Street, Docklands, Melbourne, Victoria

Admission price: Free.

14. Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, NSW

Weird in the most delicious of ways, the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre speaks to us on a spiritual level and collates everything a museum should.

a woman exploring inside Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, NSW — Sample some of the award-winning cheese at Bega Cheese Heritage Centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Seize the opportunity to sample the fruits of the brand’s labour on NSW’s far south coast as you learn about the history of dairy farming and the brand’s road to fame. The museum itself is also impressive, made to replicate the original ‘creamery’ built in 1899.

visitors exploring inside Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, NSW — Bega Cheese Heritage Centre was built to showcase how dairy shaped Bega Valley.

Address: 11-13 Lagoon Street, Bega, NSW

Admission price: Free.

15. Australian Pinball Museum, Vic

Gamers, brace yourselves. The country’s largest collection of pinball machines can be found at the Australian Pinball Museum and you’ll count more than 60 lining the walls.

pinball machines inside the Australian Pinball Museum, Vic — The country’s largest collection of pinball machines can be found at the Australian Pinball Museum.

And when your eyes aren’t lit up over the flashing lights, scanning the vacant wall space between the machines will also provide fascinating eye candy as vintage posters used for promotions proudly hang. Intriguing picks include 2012’s AC/DC Back in Black, 1931’s Baffle Ball and 1993’s Twilight Zone machines.

a closer look at the pinball machines inside the Australian Pinball Museum, Vic — The pinball machines provide fascinating eye candy.

Address: 22 Dimboola Road, Nhill, Victoria

Admission price: Free and donations are welcome. Games can be played at $1 for older machines and $2 for modern machines.

Whales breaching, fires crackling and slow-cooked feasts that make the cold so cosy, one might wish it lasted longer. Winter is no time to stay at home in NSW.

When the mercury drops, winter in NSW comes into its own. Beaches are quieter, the air is crisper and hearty food tastes even better when there’s ice on the windows.

Winter here isn’t for hiding away. It’s for long walks, deep baths, deeper reds and the kind of fireside lounging that feels simultaneously indulgent and entirely deserved after a day of exploring. From whale-watching up north to moodily lit bushwalks and pastry pilgrimages, we’ve mapped out your new favourite season.

a beach winter in nsw — From coastal walks to tasty delights, winter in NSW is a time to get out and about.

The Tweed

In winter, the NSW north coast has a front-row seat to one of nature’s greatest migrations. From May to November, humpbacks cruise past the Tweed coast between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef. Spot them from the Cabarita Beach headland or get up closer with a boat cruise.

Inland, find the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre , which is home to a rotating cast of big-name exhibitions (including Monet).

Later, grab a table at Bistro Livi , where the modern Spanish menu features whipped salt cod on toast and spanner crab with curry butter and spelt flatbread. Stick around to poke through the artist studios and indie boutiques of M|Arts Precinct .

visitors at Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre — Browse the art. (Image: Destination NSW)

The next day, jump aboard the Indigenous Lunch Cruise with Tweed Escapes. You’ll cruise upriver listening to yarns from local Indigenous guides, stop at the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Museum and tuck into lemon myrtle-crusted snapper.

Next, drive out to Farm & Co to pull apart some juicy smoked lamb shoulder with green olive tapenade while gazing out over the macadamia fields and avocado groves of this working farm.

End the day at Mantra on Salt Beach where you’ll enjoy beach access, a heated rock spa and a lagoon pool.

dining room at Bistro Livi — Taste modern Spanish at Bistro Livi.

Blue Mountains

The cold season is hands down the best time to visit the Blue Mountains. Temperatures are perfect – sunny enough for hikes, and crisp enough at night for snuggling up.

For a trip that equally soothes and stirs, start with a meditative meander through the national park’s eucalypts and Australian wildflowers. Brave the steepest passenger railway in the world, Scenic Railway , then hop the Skyway aerial cable car for unrivalled Three Sisters views.

Thaw out at the Japanese Bath House in South Bowenfels. Soak in steamy outdoor onsens filled with natural mineral water and mountain views, wander the rose and zen gardens, or sip hot drinks in the tea house.

group leader at Blue Mountains Stargazing — Rug up for Blue Mountains Stargazing. (Image: Destination NSW)

Afterwards, head to Ates in Blackheath, where everything revolves around a 150-year-old ironbark-fuelled oven – like the wood-roasted duck with nectarines and Szechuan spice. Or visit Tempus Katoomba , which leans experimental and sustainable, serving up dishes like braised fennel with cumin, spiced yogurt and Aleppo pepper.

Rug up and head into the night with Blue Mountains Stargazing . Sessions are guided by astrophysicists, helping you understand what you’re looking at as you look into deep space.

Wrap it all up at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains – MGallery Collection . There’s a whiskey bar in the basement (and crackling fires that make a dram taste even better), indoor and outdoor pools and a day spa. Kids will love the mirror maze and ice rink, too.

dishes laid out on table at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains — End the day with delicious meals at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)

Southern Highlands

Good food and wine by the fire, experienced between sifting through second-hand treasures, is a winter vibe in Bowral.

Start with a lap around Dirty Janes , an antique and vintage market. Recover from your shopping frenzy at Bendooley Book Barn , where floor-to-ceiling shelves and a roaring fire set the tone for an afternoon of red wine or hot coffee.

When it’s time to eat, head to Hickory’s Restaurant & Bar , Peppers Craigieburn Bowral’s onsite restaurant. Try the crispy pork belly with Granny Smith crisps and apple gel, or ocean trout with wakame, lemon gel and pickled radish.

couple looking through Dirty Janes in bowral — Wander the antiques at Dirty Janes. (Image: Destination NSW)

Another option, Onesta Cucina , does Italian with flair. For something more casual (with cocktails), Flour Bar swings between brunch and dinner, with an onsite bakery, over 400 wines and a hidden deli in the old bank vault.

Later, clamber Mt Gibraltar , where trails wind through eucalypt forest to views over Bowral and Mittagong.

Stay at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral , a century-old estate with open fires, elegant lounges and a nine-hole golf course.

woman and her dog winter in nsw at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral — Stay cosy at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral.

Penrith

Shake off winter inertia with an adrenaline boost out in Penrith. Kick things off with a kayak paddle on the Nepean River with Horizon Line, or head to Cables Wake Park , where cold-weather wetsuits take the edge off a wipeout.

For something a bit more cruisy, opt for the Nepean Belle Paddlewheeler for slow-floating views and a hot cuppa.

kayakers on the nepean river in penrith — Head out on the Nepean River. (Image: Destination NSW)

Refuel at Marcel Bar & Bistro , where reimagined European comfort food – like seafood risotto in bisque with little neck clams and Moreton Bay bugs – is king. Then check in at the Pullman Sydney Penrith , the area’s first international five-star hotel, to enjoy your well-earned rest.

Start planning your NSW winter getaway at all.com.

15 of the weirdest museums to visit in Australia

Prepare to have your mind blown at the country’s wackiest homages to, well, whatever really.

1. Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Tas

2. Cyril Callister Museum, Vic

3. Museum of Underwater Art, Qld

4. Mad Max 2 Museum, NSW

5. The Big Camera Museum of Photography, WA

6. Museum of Human Disease, NSW

7. The Ned Kelly History Museum and Homestead, Vic

8. The Museum of Fire, NSW

9. Qantas Guinea Airways Hangar, NT

10. The Academy of Taxidermy, WA

11. Sydney Bus Museum, NSW

12. Faye’s Underground Home, SA

13. Victoria Police Museum, Vic

14. Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, NSW

15. Australian Pinball Museum, Vic

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No time to hibernate: experience the best of winter in NSW

Whales breaching, fires crackling and slow-cooked feasts that make the cold so cosy, one might wish it lasted longer. Winter is no time to stay at home in NSW.

The Tweed

Blue Mountains

Southern Highlands

Penrith