This post is a work in progress. As I travel around Australia I am discovering some unusual and unique Australian museums. These museums showcase an unusual and or unique aspect of Australia. They are found in small towns and cities and the larger capital cities as well. Are you ready to discover some unique and unusual Australian museums with me? And maybe you will include them in your ‘big lap of Oz‘ or visit them during a day or weekend trip away.

The museums are listed in no particular order, just the order I discover them in, but I have inserted them under the state they are in to make them easier to find. I have included a little information about each museum and what makes them unusual and unique. There may be a link to the museum’s website and details of opening hours and any costs. Without further ado, here are some unique and unusual museums in Australia.

Unique and Unusual Museums in the ACT

National Australian War Memorial, Canberra

National War Memorial, Canberra

I have to start my list of unique and unusual Museums with the National Australian War Memorial. It is not a small museum like most of the museums on this list, but it is unique all the same. I loved visiting this museum I found it so interesting. As the name suggests this memorial is all about the wars Australia has been a part of. Including the First World War, Second World War to Vietnam War and Afghanistan War. The museum is divided into sections.

Unique and Unusual Australian Museums in NSW

National Motor Racing Museum, Bathurst

Outside of National Motor Racing Museum

You guessed it! The National Motor Racing Museum is about cars. And not just any cars, race cars and motorbikes. With many of the cars and motorbikes having raced at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, where the National Motor Racing Museum is.

As soon as you walk in the doors of the National Motor Racing Museum you will see cars of all ages and vintages. Many, if not all of them, have raced and conquered the mountain, Mounta Panorama that is. Even if you don’t love or appreciate racings cars, you will find many interesting tales and information about the cars inside. Plus plenty of information about the drivers of the race cars.

Learn which drivers have conquered Mount Panorama. Peter Brock, Skaife, et al.

The National Motor Racing Museum is open 6 days a week from 9am to 5.30pm. They are closed on a Tuesday. To plan your visit check out the National Motor Racing Museum website.

Killer Whale Museum, Eden

Old Tom’s skeleton at the Killer Whale Museum, Eden

Located in Eden on the far south coast of New South Wales is the Killer Whale Museum. To understand why there is a museum about killer whales, you need to understand the whaling that occurred in Eden. And you will find all this out when you visit the Killer Whale Museum. It forms part of the Killer Whale Trail where you will see and discover all about the killer whales that lived in Twofold Bay and how they helped humans hunt the migrating humpback whales between the years of 1828 to 1930.

You can find the Killer Whale Museum at 184 Imlay Street, Eden NSW 2551. Get more details of opening times and ticket costs at their website. I spent a few hours at the Killer Whale Museum and then drove to a number of spots on the Killer Whale Trail. Read my post The Killer Whale Trail, Eden.

Bega Cheese Museum, Bega

When driving the Princes Highway on the Far South Coast of NSW, you drive through the town of Bega. Thanks to the lushness of the Bega Valley, it is a fabulous place for cows. There are so many thriving cows in this region they produce great milk with much of this milk being made into cheese. If you have heard the name Bega Cheese and seen it in the supermarket, well as you drive through Bega, you cannot miss seeing the Bega Cheese Factory where the cheese is made. Now if you are like me and love cheese, call in to the factory cafe where you can buy the cheese or have something cheesy to eat. Upstairs of the coffee shop is the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, a fabulous little museum showcasing the history of milk and cheese production in Bega. So after that coffee or milkshake go upstairs and walk around this interesting and unique little museum.

The Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, 11-13 Lagoon Street, Bega, NSW 2550, Open: 9am – 5pm and is free to enter.

Donald Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame, Bowral

One of the best museums I have been to is the Donald Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Even non-cricket tragics will love this museum. From the moment you step inside it’s all about cricket. See loads of donated memorabilia of players plus there are a number of interactive displays explain cricket. My kids really enjoyed trying to hit a ball against a water tank like a young Don did. It took us about 2 hours walking through the displays, reading the information and watching videos. Learn about Donald Bradman plus loads of past and current players. Then outside you can walk around the Bradman Oval – maybe a game of cricket might be being played like it was the day I was there. And don’t forget to have a look at the pavilion and have your photo taken with the Donald Bradman statue. Read my review of my visit to the Donald Bradman Museum here.

Donald Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame, St Judes Street, Bowral. It is open Monday thru Sunday 9am to 4pm with a ticket costing: Adults – $30.00, Children (5 – 17 years) – $16.50 (under 5 free), Family (2 Adults & 2 children) – $77.00, Family (2 Adults & 3 children) – $85.00.

Johnny Warren Museum, Jamberoo Pub, Jamberoo

Lovers of the game of soccer will enjoy a visit to the Johnny Warren Museum at Jamberoo Pub. Why is there a museum to soccer and Johnny Warren at a pub you might ask? Well, Johnny Warren owned the pub which is now owned by his nephew. Johnny Warren is an institution in the game of soccer. He not only played soccer for Australia but became a commentator of the game until his untimely death. Jamberoo Pub is a classic small country town pub that has a great restaurant. If in need of a good lunch or dinner and are in the Jamberoo area, then consider heading to the Pub for a meal. While there walk along the corridor and into the back room and through the bar area as the walls and even the ceiling are devoted to soccer, and not just about Johnny Warren related soccer, but Australian soccer in general. There are also some rooms available if you are seeking accommodation.

Jamberoo Pub, 12 Allowrie Street, Jamberoo. It is open pub hours usually 11am till late and is free to enter – though you might want to buy a drink or a meal!

Unique and Unusual Australian Museums in Victoria

Ned Kelly Discovery Hub, Glenrowan

The Ned Kelly Discovery Hub is a new museum opened September 2023. From a distance, if you look long enough, the structure looks like Ned’s metal helmet. Inside the discovery hub you find plenty of information about the life and times of Ned Kelly and his gang. There is a timeline taking you through his life until his death at Melbourne Gaol. After discovering the relationship between Ned and Glenrowan, walk the heritage trail taking you to the sites of the last seige and the place where Ned was shot and captured. Whether you think he a hero or a villian, discover Ned Kelly, the Australian bushranger at Glenrowan. Read my post on what to see and do in Ned Kelly Country in Glenrowan. It’s also a great stop when taking a road trip along the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne.

Ned Kelly Discovery Hub is on Gladstone Street, Glenrowan 3675 and is free to visit. It is open 10am to 5pm daily.

Australian Sports Museum, MCG, East Melbourne

The Australian Sports Museum is located at the sacred ground of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in East Melbourne. I have been lucky enough to visit this museum many times as being a member of the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club) I can access the museum when I visit during cricket and AFL matches. For those of you not as lucky as me you can visit the museum. Here, you will discover the history of cricket, AFL and the Olympics held in Melbourne in 1956. The best part of the museum are the interactive displays where you will learn about your body and sport. And while at the museum, go on a tour of the MCG – see the locker rooms and walk onto the hallowed MCG ground! A visit to the MCG and the sport museum is a fun and one of the best things to do on a trip to Melbourne. A visit to Melbourne with kids will be complete with a visit here.

Australian Sports Museum, Yarra Park, Gate 3 Brunton Ave, East Melbourne VIC 3002. Book a ticket online for the Museum and Tour: Adult – $43.00, Child (5-15) – $20, Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) – $100.