AusLeisure

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has been rated as the number one museum in Australia by TripAdvisor.

Assessed by an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for museums worldwide over a 12-month period, the ratings named the National ANZAC Centre in Albany second and the Melbourne Museum third.

TripAdvisor also highlighted top-rated bookable tours and passes on or near the site and the cost of admission for each winning museum.

Globally, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York claimed the top spot.

Commenting on the findings, Brooke Ferencsik, Senior Director of Communications for TripAdvisor, advised “as a traveller, exploring a famous museum or discovering a new one can be the highlight of a trip

“This year’s Travellers’ Choice Museum award winners belong on your must-visit list. To beat the crowds at these popular attractions, travellers should consider booking a skip-the-line pass or taking a small group tour to save time and make the most of their visit.”

Top 10 Museums in Australia

1. 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.
• Bookable tour: Melbourne Zoo General Entry Ticket bookable on TripAdvisor from $36
• Admission: Free

2. 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.
• Bookable pass: National Anzac Centre General Entry Ticket on TripAdvisor from $24 per person 
• Admission: Adult - $24, First Child (5-15 years old) - $10, Every Child Thereafter - $5, Child under 5 - Free

3. Melbourne Museum
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. 
• Bookable tour: Aboriginal Melbourne Tour: Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Museum and Koorie Heritage Trust on TripAdvisor from $209 per person 
• Admission: Adult - $14, Child- Free

4. 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
• Bookable tour: 3infun Canberra Attraction Pass Including the Australian Institute of Sport, Cockington Green Gardens and Questacon on TripAdvisor from $45 per person 
• Admission: Adult - $20.50, Tertiary - $17.20, Child - $15, Under 4 - Free

5. Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
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.
• Bookable tour: Explore Darwin City Sights on TripAdvisor from $110 per person 
• Admission: Free

6. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art museum of Australia as well as one of the largest art museums in Australia, holding more than 166,000 works of art.
• Bookable tour: Canberra Day Trip from Sydney Including Parliament House and Australian War Memorial on TripAdvisor from $149 per person 
• Admission: Free

7. 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.
• Bookable tour: Private: Historical Sightseeing Walking Tour of Sydney on TripAdvisor from $385
• General Admission: Free

8. 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.
• Bookable tour: Explore Darwin City Sights on TripAdvisor from $110 per person 
• Admission: Adult - $15, Child (5-16 years) - $8, Child under 5 – Free, Seniors - $13

9. Bendigo Art Gallery 
Established in 1887, Bendigo Art Gallery is the largest, and one of the oldest regional galleries in Australia. The Gallery's collection is extensive and varied with an emphasis on 19th century European art and Australian art from 1800s onwards, alongside a strong collection of contemporary Australian art.
• Bookable tour: Golden Dragon Museum on TripAdvisor from $28 per family (2 adults and up to 4 children)
• Admission: Adult -  $11, Children (5-14) - $6

10. Historic Village Herberton, Queensland 
Travellers can see the real space shuttle Atlantis, touch a moon rock, meet a veteran NASA astronaut, tour a NASA spaceflight facility and get an up-close view of a real Saturn V moon rocket all in the same day. 
• Bookable tour: Historic Village Herberton Day Trip from Cairns Including Kuranda Village and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway on TripAdvisor from $199
• Admission: Adult -  $29, Child - $13, Child under 4 - Free

Top 10 Museums in the World:

1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
2. The National WWII Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
3. Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France
4. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
5. State Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia
6. The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, New York, USA
7. National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropologia), Mexico City, Mexico
8. Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece
9. Prado National Museum, Madrid, Spain
10. V&A – Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK 

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest online provider of tours, activities and attractions, offering more than 56,000 bookable tours, activities and experiences in 2,500 destinations and 165 countries to help travellers unleash the full potential of their trips.

Travellers can read the latest reviews and compare prices from more than 200 sites to find the lowest prices on the right hotel for their trip at www.TripAdvisor.com. 

Images (from top): National Gallery of Victoria, the National Anzac Centre, Albany and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

10th July 2017 - NGV’S VAN GOGH HITS RECORD 420,000 VISITORS

18th April 2017 - NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA IN LIST OF THE WORLD’S TOP 20 MOST VISITED ART GALLERIES

27th May 2017 - SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE NAMED AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE LANDMARK

15th October 2016 - TRIPADVISOR BANS TICKET SALES TO ATTRACTIONS THAT ALLOW CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS

6th March 2016 - 2016 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELLERS’ CHOICE AWARDS REVEAL AUSTRALIA’S BEST BEACHES

18th August 2015 - LONELY PLANET NAMES THREE TASMANIAN DESTINATIONS IN ‘ULTIMATE TRAVEL LIST’ 

16th July 2015 - WORLD’S TOP ATTRACTIONS NAMED IN 2015 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELLERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

19th January 2015 - NATIONAL ANZAC CENTRE IN ALBANY NAMED ONE OF THE WORLD’S TOP ATTRACTIONS

16th August 2014 - TRIPADVISOR ANNOUNCES TRAVELLER’S CHOICE AWARDS FOR ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.