List of museums in the Northern Territory facts for kids

The Northern Territory in Australia is home to many interesting places where you can learn about history, art, and science. These places are called museums!

A museum is like a special treasure chest where people collect, take care of, and show off cool objects. These objects can be about culture, art, science, or history. Imagine seeing old planes, ancient fossils, or tools from long ago! This list will tell you about some of the amazing museums you can find in the Northern Territory.

Museums in Alice Springs

Alice Springs is a town right in the middle of Australia, and it has many unique museums.

Aviation and Transport

• Central Australian Aviation Museum: Ever wondered about early planes? This museum shows off old flying doctor planes and other historic aircraft. You can see how people used to fly in the outback!
• National Road Transport Hall of Fame: If you love big trucks and cool vehicles, this is the place for you! It has a huge collection of trucks and even military vehicles.
• Old Ghan Heritage Railway and Museum: All aboard! This museum is about the famous Ghan railway. You can even ride a tourist train here and imagine what it was like to travel across Australia by rail.
• Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum: Learn about the incredible Royal Flying Doctor Service. These brave doctors and nurses fly planes to help people in remote areas. It's a fascinating look at how medicine reaches everyone in the outback.

History and Culture

• Adelaide House: This historic building was once a special hospital for people in the bush. It was designed by John Flynn, who started the Flying Doctor Service.
• Fred McKay Museum: Located at St Philip's College, this museum tells the story of Rev. Fred McKay. He worked hard to bring medicine and education to people living in remote areas.
• Hartley Street School: Step back in time to an early 20th-century school. You can see what school was like for kids long ago in Alice Springs.
• The Residency, Alice Springs: This historic house was once the home of the people who helped run the Northern Territory. It gives you a peek into how things were governed in the past.
• School of the Air Visitor Centre: Discover how kids in remote parts of Australia go to school using radios and computers. It's a unique way of learning!
• Strehlow Research Centre: This centre has amazing objects and records from the Indigenous people of Central Australia. It's a great place to learn about their culture and history.
• Old Timers Traeger Museum: This museum shares stories and items from the early settlers and pioneers of Alice Springs.

Art and Natural History

• Araluen Arts Centre: This centre has four different art galleries. You can see many kinds of art, including works by local artists.
• Mbantua Art Gallery and Cultural Museum: Explore Aboriginal art and culture at this vibrant gallery.
• Museum of Central Australia: Love animals and rocks? This museum has collections of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, rocks, minerals, and even fossils found in Central Australia.
• Women's Museum of Australia and Old Alice Springs Gaol: This museum celebrates the history of women in Australia. It also tells stories about the Old Gaol (prison) and Labour Camp.

Museums in Darwin

Darwin, the capital city, has museums that tell stories about its unique history, especially during World War II.

• Australian Aviation Heritage Centre: See a collection of aircraft, including a B-52 bomber! It's a great place for anyone interested in planes and flying.
• Charles Darwin University Nursing Museum: Learn about the history of nursing and healthcare in the Northern Territory.
• Darwin Military Museum: Darwin played a big role in World War II. This museum has many items from that time, showing what life was like and how the city was defended.
• Fannie Bay Gaol: This historic prison operated for many years. You can explore the old cells and learn about its past.
• Lyons Cottage: This old cottage tells the story of early European settlement in Darwin and its connection to telegraph communications.
• Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory: This is the biggest museum in the Northern Territory! It has art, history, culture, and natural history exhibits. You can learn about everything from cyclones to crocodiles!
• Northern Territory Chinese Museum: Discover the history and achievements of Chinese people who came to the Northern Territory, starting in 1874. It's located on the grounds of a Chinese temple.
• WWII Oil Storage Tunnels: Go on a tour through these huge underground tunnels that were built to store oil during World War II. It's a fascinating look at wartime engineering.

Museums in Other Towns

Many other towns across the Northern Territory have museums that share their local stories.

Katherine and Surrounds

• Katherine Museum: This museum tells the local history of Katherine and the surrounding area.
• Katherine Railway Museum: Learn about the railway history in Katherine.
• Larrimah Museum: This museum focuses on the railway during World War II and how transport changed after the war.
• Never Never Museum (Mataranka): Discover the local history of Mataranka, a town famous for its thermal springs.
• O'Keeffe Residence (Katherine): This historic residence offers a glimpse into the past of Katherine.
• National Trust Museum Pine Creek: Explore the local history of Pine Creek, a town with a rich gold mining past.
• Pine Creek railway station: This is a preserved historic railway station where you can see old railway items.
• Timber Creek Police Station and Museum: Learn about law enforcement and local history in Timber Creek.

Tennant Creek and Barkly Region

• Battery Hill Mining Centre (Tennant Creek): Go on an underground mine tour! See how gold was processed and learn about the history of mining in the area. It also has a minerals museum and a social history museum.
• Jones Store (Newcastle Waters): This historic store tells the story of life in the remote cattle station town of Newcastle Waters.
• Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre (Tennant Creek): This centre celebrates Aboriginal art and culture from the local Warumungu people.
• Tuxworth-Fullwood House (Tennant Creek): This building was once a hospital and now has displays about the local history of Tennant Creek.

Other Locations

• Adelaide River railway station: A preserved historic railway station with railway artefacts in Adelaide River.
• Batchelor Museum: This museum is still growing and will share the local history of Batchelor.
• Black Point Culture Centre (Cobourg Peninsula): Located within the Garig Ganuk Barlu National Park, this centre shares the history and culture of the Cobourg Peninsula.
• Old Police Station Museum (Borroloola): Learn about the history of law enforcement and the local area in Borroloola.

See also

• List of museums in Australia