Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1843 by the Royal Society of Tasmania and is housed in the oldest building in Hobart’s central business district — the Commissariat Store, built in 1808, near the city’s waterfront. The museum and art gallery share the same building, showcasing Tasmania’s rich history and culture from different perspectives and through various expressive methods, attracting around 300,000 visitors each year.

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery was established to commemorate Tasmania’s history, art, and culture. It primarily displays materials related to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people, who were greatly impacted by British colonization, as well as the culture of the early colonial period. A highlight is the Tasmanian Aboriginal Gallery, known as Ningenneh Tunapry, which in the Aboriginal language means “to give knowledge and understanding.” This gallery is dedicated to the history and culture of Tasmania’s Indigenous people and provides an opportunity to learn about their traditions, contemporary cultural practices, and issues. Here, you can see the first bark canoe built by Tasmanian Aboriginal people since the mid-19th century.

In addition, you can also learn about Tasmania’s ancient origins and its flora and fauna in the museum, including the now-extinct thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger — a marsupial with black stripes, similar to the kangaroo.

Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

Must-visit reason: The best place to learn about Tasmanian Aboriginal culture

Continent where the attraction is located: Oceania

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Australia

State/Province where the attraction is located: Tasmania

City where the attraction is located: Hobart