One of the finest natural history museums in the country, The South Australian Museum encompasses several buildings in the beautiful cultural precinct of the Adelaide Parklands. The many permanent collections on display at this historic museum and research centre offer a rare and fascinating look into Australia’s past and are a testament to the preservation efforts of this fine institution.
One of the most interesting areas of Australian study is its aboriginal culture and the museum has the largest collection of aboriginal artefacts in the world with over 3,000 items on display from across the country. The displays offer a fascinating look into how this ancient and innovative civilization coped with the often extreme realities of the harsh Australian climate.
The sea also comes engrossingly alive with the ever popular Biodiversity Gallery: Life in the Deep collection and includes an 11 metre model of the world’s biggest squid ever found along with four levels of interactive displays and deep sea specimens. A magnificent look at Opal fossils are to be found as well as a collection showcasing rare fossils from the Flinders Ranges area that are some of the largest and oldest fossils found on earth.
These are just some of the fine exhibits found at this cultural treasure where a whole day can be spent learning about the rare natural history of Australia. The museum is located within the heart of Adelaide’s cultural precinct alongside the Art Gallery of South Australia and the State Library and just a short walk from the main shopping district of the CBD.
