41 places to discover
The Australian National Surfing Museum, also known as Surfworld, is located at 77 Beach Road in Torquay on Victoria's Surf Coast, the gateway to the Great Ocean Road. Established in 1993, it is Australia's only museum dedicated to surfing history and culture. It houses the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame, an extensive collection of historic surfboards, memorabilia and audiovisual displays documenting the evolution of surfing in Australia.
Bangkok Planetarium is the domed astronomy theatre of the Science Centre for Education on Sukhumvit Road in Khlong Toei, Bangkok. Opened in 1964, it is the oldest planetarium in Thailand. It features a 20-meter dome with a star projector, astronomy shows, and adjacent science exhibition buildings covering astronomy, space, science and natural history for education and public visitors.
The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex is a NASA Deep Space Network tracking station located in the Tidbinbilla Valley about 35 kilometres southwest of central Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. Operated by CSIRO for NASA, it communicates with interplanetary spacecraft using large parabolic antennas. Its public visitor centre offers space exhibits, spacecraft models and antenna viewing, making it a significant science and education attraction in a bushland setting.
The Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum is a space and telecommunications museum located at Browns Range, about 10 km south of Carnarvon in Western Australia's Gascoyne region. Housed on the site of the former NASA Carnarvon Tracking Station and OTC Satellite Earth Station, it preserves Australia's role in the Gemini and Apollo programs. Notable for its large OTC satellite dish, spacecraft replicas and interactive exhibits, it documents tracking station history and satellite communications.
The Charleville Cosmos Centre is an astronomy and space science centre located at Charleville Airport in Murweh Shire, Queensland. Situated in outback Queensland's exceptionally clear dark-sky region, it is notable for its powerful telescopes, observatory domes and interactive astronomy displays. The centre offers guided day and night experiences focused on stargazing, planetary viewing and education about the southern night sky.
Cloud Forest is a cooled conservatory within Gardens by the Bay in Marina South, Singapore. Opened in 2012, it replicates a tropical montane environment inside a 58-metre glass dome. Its centrepiece is a 35-metre indoor mountain and waterfall surrounded by mist-filled walkways, epiphytes and rare plants. Notable for sustainable cooling technology and conservation displays, it offers an educational experience about cloud forest ecology and climate change.
The Cobdogla Irrigation and Steam Museum is a heritage museum at Cobdogla in the Riverland region of South Australia, within the Berri Barmera Council area. It preserves the history of River Murray irrigation and steam power, centred on the rare Humphrey Pump and a collection of restored steam engines, tractors and irrigation equipment. Set among landscaped grounds near Lake Bonney, it documents the development of the Cobdogla Irrigation Area from the 1920s.
The Coffee Museum in Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, is a dedicated museum established by the Coffee Board of India in the town known as the birthplace of coffee in India. Located in the district headquarters, it documents the history, cultivation, processing and grading of coffee through exhibits, photographs, maps and audiovisual displays. The museum highlights Chikkamagaluru's role in introducing coffee to India and serves as an educational centre for visitors interested in coffee heritage.
Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi is a wildlife park located in Mukim Air Hangat near Teluk Datai in Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. Formerly known as Langkawi Crocodile Farm, it houses over 1,000 crocodiles and alligators including saltwater crocodiles. The park is notable for live crocodile shows, feeding demonstrations and educational exhibits on crocodile biology, breeding and conservation, set within landscaped ponds, enclosures and green surroundings near Datai Bay.
CSIRO Parkes Observatory, 20 km north of Parkes in central New South Wales, is home to the 64-metre Parkes radio telescope, known as 'The Dish'. Commissioned in 1961, it is one of Australia's most important radio astronomy facilities. Operated by CSIRO, it is famous for supporting the Apollo 11 Moon landing and ongoing deep-space research, with a visitor centre offering exhibitions and telescope viewing.
The Daintree Discovery Centre is an award-winning interpretive facility located at Cow Bay in the Douglas Shire, Queensland, within the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Established to educate visitors about the ecology and evolution of Australia's oldest lowland tropical rainforest, it features a 23-metre Canopy Tower, Aerial Walkway, and interactive displays on rainforest flora, fauna and Indigenous heritage.
The Darwin Aviation Museum, also known as the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre, is an aviation museum in Winnellie, Darwin, Northern Territory. Located near Darwin International Airport on Stuart Highway, it preserves the aviation history of northern Australia with a focus on World War II and the Bombing of Darwin. Its centrepiece is a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber on permanent loan from the United States Air Force, alongside 19 aircraft, engines, and wartime artefacts.
The Fleet Air Arm Museum is Australia's naval aviation museum located at HMAS Albatross on Albatross Road, Nowra Hill in the City of Shoalhaven, New South Wales. Operated by the Royal Australian Navy, it preserves the history of the Fleet Air Arm since 1947. The museum houses more than 30 aircraft, helicopters and extensive artefacts, photographs and memorabilia across large hangar displays, documenting naval aviation operations, technology and personnel.
Flower Dome is a cooled conservatory within Gardens by the Bay in Marina South, Singapore. Opened in 2012, it replicates a cool-dry Mediterranean climate and is recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's largest glass greenhouse. It displays plants from Mediterranean and semi-arid regions across nine gardens and a central Flower Field with seasonal floral displays.
The Gladstone Maritime Museum is a volunteer-run museum located at the Gladstone Marina in Gladstone Central, Queensland. It preserves and displays the maritime history of the Port of Gladstone and the surrounding region. The museum houses ship models, photographs, navigational instruments, artefacts and archival material relating to shipping, port development and local seafaring heritage. It is notable for its collection documenting one of Queensland's major multi-commodity ports.
The Historic Whaling Station at Discovery Bay in Frenchman Bay, Albany, is the former Cheynes Beach Whaling Station, the last operating whaling station in Australia. Located about 20 km south of Albany on the southern coast of Western Australia, it operated from 1952 to 1978 and is now preserved as a museum. It is notable for its intact processing factory, whale skeletons, historic vessels and exhibits interpreting whaling history and marine conservation.
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is a 55-hectare subtropical rainforest reserve at Maleny in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Queensland, renowned for panoramic views of the Glass House Mountains. Established in 1941 through a bequest in memory of Mary Cairncross, it protects remnant rainforest with diverse flora and fauna. The reserve features boardwalks, a Rainforest Discovery Centre, picnic areas and educational displays, offering accessible nature experiences managed by Sunshine Coast Council.
Mawson's Huts Replica Museum is a museum on the Hobart waterfront in Tasmania that houses a full-scale replica of the huts built at Cape Denison in Antarctica for Sir Douglas Mawson's Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914. Operated by the Mawson's Huts Foundation, it displays expedition artefacts, photographs and interpretive exhibits explaining life, science and survival in Antarctica and Hobart's historic role as an Antarctic gateway.
Megafauna Central is a museum in central Alice Springs, Northern Territory, operated by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Located on Todd Mall, it showcases the extinct megafauna of Central Australia, particularly fossils from the Alcoota fossil site northeast of Alice Springs. The museum features life-sized models, fossil displays and interactive exhibits explaining the region's ancient environment and climate change over eight million years.
Namadgi Visitor Centre is the main gateway to Namadgi National Park, located on Naas Road at Tharwa on the southern edge of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. It serves as the park's primary information and interpretation hub for the national park that covers about 46% of the ACT. The centre features interactive exhibitions on natural and Aboriginal heritage, a theatre, and park information to help visitors plan walks and understand the region's landscapes and biodiversity.
The National Dinosaur Museum is Australia's largest permanent display of dinosaurs and prehistoric fossils, located in Gold Creek Village in the suburb of Nicholls, north Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Established in 1993, it houses extensive collections of dinosaur skeletons, fossil displays, life-sized models and mineral exhibits. The indoor museum and outdoor dinosaur garden provide an educational attraction focused on natural history, palaeontology and evolution for visitors of all ages.
Nehru Planetarium is a science education facility located within the Nehru Centre in Worli, Mumbai. Inaugurated on March 3, 1977, by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, it aims to foster scientific temper through astronomy shows and exhibits [36](https://www.nehrucentremumbai.in/planetarium-about-us/). The planetarium features a 22.9-meter dome with seating for approximately 500 visitors and screens multilingual sky shows [18](https://planetariums-database.org/index.php?menu=sheet_planetarium&filtre=508). It serves as a prominent center for astronomy education and public outreach in Mumbai [44](https://www.deccanherald.com/india/iconic-nehru-planetarium-in-mumbai-marks-golden-jubilee-3918259).
Parkes Observatory, commonly known as The Dish, is a 64-metre radio telescope operated by CSIRO located about 20 kilometres north of Parkes in central New South Wales, Australia. Completed in 1961, it is one of the Southern Hemisphere's most important radio astronomy facilities. Famous for supporting NASA's Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969, it remains active in scientific research and features a visitor centre with astronomy exhibits overlooking the telescope.
Pathani Samanta Planetarium is a planetarium located at Acharya Vihar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Established in 1990 and operated by the Science and Technology Department, Government of Odisha, it is named after the 19th-century astronomer Pathani Samanta. The planetarium features a domed sky theatre, astronomical exhibits and educational programs aimed at popularizing astronomy and space science among students and general visitors.
Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum is a paleontological and geological museum in Wiang Kao District, Khon Kaen Province, northeastern Thailand, located near Phu Wiang National Park. Established by the Department of Mineral Resources and opened in 2001, it showcases the region's significant dinosaur fossil discoveries since 1976. The museum is notable for its extensive collection of fossil skeletons, including Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae, and its role as Thailand's first dinosaur museum and a major research and education center.
The Queensland Maritime Museum is a specialist maritime museum located at 412 Stanley Street, South Brisbane, on the Brisbane River. Housed in and around the heritage-listed South Brisbane Dry Dock built in 1881, it preserves and displays Queensland's maritime history. Notable for its collection of historic vessels, lighthouse exhibits, ship models, and naval artefacts, it documents commercial shipping, navigation and river history in Queensland.
The RAAF Museum is the official museum of the Royal Australian Air Force located at RAAF Base Williams in Point Cook, Victoria, within the City of Wyndham. Situated at the birthplace of the RAAF and the world's oldest continuously operating military airfield, it preserves and displays historic aircraft, memorabilia and archives. The museum showcases the evolution of Australian military aviation through restored aircraft, exhibitions and heritage hangars.
The Rainforest Discovery Centre is an environmental education centre located within the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve near Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah. Operated by the Sabah Forestry Department, it showcases Borneo's lowland rainforest through exhibition halls, botanical gardens and extensive steel canopy walkways. Notable for birdwatching, with over 300 bird species recorded, it serves as a centre for rainforest interpretation, conservation awareness and nature-based tourism adjacent to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.
The Roi Et Science and Cultural Centre For Education is an educational attraction in Niwet Subdistrict, Thawat Buri District, Roi Et Province, northeastern Thailand. Operated under Thailand's Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education, it combines science exhibitions, a planetarium, and cultural displays focused on Roi Et heritage. The centre serves students and general visitors with interactive learning about astronomy, science, technology and local culture in a campus setting outside Roi Et city.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Visitor Facilities are located at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR on Sriharikota island in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh. Operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation, the facilities include a Space Museum, Rocket Garden and Launch View Gallery overlooking the two launch pads. They showcase scaled models of launch vehicles, satellites and missions, and allow registered visitors to view rocket launches, highlighting India's space programme.
Siding Spring Observatory is Australia's premier optical astronomy facility located on Mount Woorat (1165m) near Coonabarabran in Warrumbungle Shire, New South Wales. Operated by the Australian National University, it hosts Australia's largest optical telescope, the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope, along with numerous other telescopes. Situated on the edge of Warrumbungle National Park within Australia's first Dark Sky Park, it is notable for research, dark skies and public education.
The Singapore Air Force Museum, also known as the Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum, is located at 400 Airport Road within Paya Lebar Air Base in Paya Lebar, Singapore. Operated by the Republic of Singapore Air Force, it preserves and presents the history of the RSAF since its formation in 1968. The museum features indoor and outdoor galleries with retired aircraft, engines, uniforms, and historical exhibits documenting Singapore's air defence development.
The Singapore Navy Museum is a naval heritage museum located inside Changi Naval Base at Tanah Merah Coast Road in Changi Bay, Singapore. Operated by the Republic of Singapore Navy, it documents the history and development of Singapore's naval forces from its early years to the present. The museum displays ship models, uniforms, artefacts, interactive exhibits and outdoor displays including naval guns and a patrol vessel, illustrating maritime defence and naval operations.
Singapore Oceanarium is a large aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa on Sentosa Island, Singapore. Rebranded and expanded from the former S.E.A. Aquarium, it reopened on 24 July 2025 as one of the world's largest oceanariums. It houses over 40,000 marine animals across 22 zones, including the Open Ocean habitat, and focuses on marine education, research and conservation.
The South Australian Aviation Museum is an aviation heritage museum located at 66 Lipson Street in Port Adelaide, South Australia. Operated by volunteers, it preserves and displays South Australia's aviation history through a collection of historic aircraft, engines, and memorabilia. Notable exhibits include a Supermarine Spitfire, F-111C, and Anson. Housed in former World War II hangars, the museum offers indoor displays documenting civil and military aviation development in the state.
The South Australian Whale Centre is a marine-focused museum and visitor information centre located on Railway Terrace in Victor Harbor, South Australia. Established to interpret the region's whaling history and the biology of southern right whales, it serves as the gateway to whale watching on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The centre features interactive exhibits, whale skeletons, and educational displays about marine conservation and the Encounter Coast's natural heritage.
Telekom Museum (Muzium Telekom) is a telecommunications museum in central Kuala Lumpur on Jalan Raja Chulan, housed in a Neo-Classical heritage building constructed in 1928 as Malaysia's first manual telephone exchange. Operated by Telekom Malaysia, it preserves and displays the evolution of telecommunications in Malaysia through vintage equipment, interactive exhibits and archival collections. The building itself is notable for its colonial architecture and survival through World War II, making it a heritage landmark in the city centre.
The Thai Traditional Medicine Museum is located within the Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital complex in Mueang Prachinburi, Prachinburi Province. Housed in historic hospital buildings, it preserves and presents Thailand's traditional medicine heritage, including herbal medicine, ancient medical texts, and traditional instruments. It is notable for its association with Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, a leading center for Thai herbal research and production, and for the Baroque-style Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Building.
The Sheep's Back Museum is a heritage museum in Naracoorte, South Australia, dedicated to the history of the wool and sheep industry in the Limestone Coast region. Housed in historic buildings in the town centre, it displays shearing equipment, wool presses, machinery, photographs and interpretive exhibits tracing pastoral settlement from the 1840s. The museum highlights Naracoorte's role as a major wool centre and preserves the social and economic story of sheep farming.
The Vadnagar Archaeological Experiential Museum in Vadnagar, Mehsana district, Gujarat, is India's first archaeological experiential museum. Spread over 12,500 square metres near the excavated site, it showcases over 2,500 years of continuous human habitation through seven cultural periods. Developed jointly by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Government of Gujarat, the museum displays more than 5,000 artefacts, immersive galleries, and a walkway over the live excavation trench.
The Woodworks Museum and Interpretive Centre is a heritage museum at Lake Alford in Gympie, Queensland, dedicated to the history of the region's timber industry. Located on Fraser Road in the Gympie Region, it preserves forestry, sawmilling and woodcraft heritage through displays of historic hand tools, machinery, steam engines and timber samples. The centre interprets the role of timber in Gympie's development and promotes understanding of sustainable forestry and traditional woodworking skills.