The National Museum of Australia brings to life the rich and diverse stories of Australia through compelling objects, ideas and events. We focus on Indigenous histories and cultures, European settlement and our interaction with the environment. The National Museum of Australia is a publicly funded institution governed as a statutory authority in the Commonwealth Arts portfolio. Established in 1980, it is headed by a Director appointed by the Governor-General. The Council is responsible for the conduct and control of the affairs of the Museum. The Museum building on Acton Peninsula opened on 11 March 2001.

Although it is one of Australia’s newest cultural institutions, the National Museum of Australia was almost 100 years in the making. Over the course of the 20th century, proposals for a national museum were intermittent, interrupted by wars and financial crises and stifled by government inaction.

A national inquiry in 1975 (the ‘Pigott Report’) finally resulted in the creation of the Museum in 1980 with the passing of the National Museum of Australia Act. Collecting officially began with significant collections inherited from Australian Government collections, including the Australian Institute of Anatomy. A location was identified at Yarramundi Reach, Canberra.

In December 1996 the building of the Museum was announced as the key Centenary of Federation project, and Acton Peninsula was chosen as the site, with funding confirmed in 1997. The National Museum of Australia opened on 11 March 2001. It is home to the National Historical Collection and is one of the nation’s major cultural institutions.