Westpac Long Gallery

What do you treasure? An object, a person, a memory? Here in the Westpac Long Gallery you will discover 100 of the Australian Museum’s greatest treasures. Some are treasures because they are very old; some because they are very rare. Others are treasures because of the stories they tell: who made them, who found them or who owned them; a story about the Museum; about Australia and its history; or about the wonders of the natural world.

Enter the gallery and discover the stories behind 100 treasures of the Australian Museum.

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Stops in tour

Stop 1
Westpac Long Gallery
Discover the stories behind 100 treasures of the Australian Museum.
Stop 2
Australia's first bank note and Maitland Bar Gold Nugget
The foundation of the Australian currency and a priceless large gold nugget.
Stop 3
Krefft's chair
Chair of Gerard Krefft, Museum Curator, zoologist and a central figure in Australian science in the 19th century .
Stop 4
Platypus skin rug
Made from the skins of 75 platypuses, this rug reminds us of a time when many native animals were unprotected and considered pests.
Stop 5
Skeleton of 'Sir Hercules' and a rider
Affectionately known as the 'Bone Ranger', this specimen highlights the importance of horses and horsemanship in Australian history.
Stop 6
Rainforest shields
The vibrant indigenous shields from the rainforests of far north Queensland were created as tools for survival.
Stop 7
Morning star pole
Pointing heavenwards in the centre of this showcase is a morning star pole from Elcho Island in the Northern Territory.
Stop 8
Crocodile turtle mask
This striking and rare mask from the Torres Strait Islands were worn by male dancers in funerary rites and other important ceremonies.
Stop 9
Roro feather headdress
This elaborate headdress made by the Roro people from the highlands of Papua New Guinea is a vibrant example of the connection between people and environment.
Stop 10
Bird-shaped pestle
Integral to the rise of agriculture in Papua New Guinea, this ancient stone pounding tool tells of one of the oldest histories of food production in the world.
Stop 11
Upe hats
The sacred hats of the Papua New Guinea Buka Island hold many secrets of lost practices and cultural knowledge.
Stop 12
Malagan figures
Showcasing a rich history of the New Ireland people, these ritualistic figures honour a person's memory after their death.
Stop 13
Mother and child
A enigmatic figure of a mother and child from the Solomon Islands representing a world in profound transition.
Stop 14
Kiribati armour
Once used in ritualised battles to settle disputes, the Kiribati armour reveals a fascinating history.
Stop 15
Cook's Hawaiian cape
On his final voyage to Hawaii, this magnificent cape was presented to Captain James Cook by Ali’i (chief) Kalani‘ōpu‘u.
Stop 16
Figure of Arjuna
A ritualistic carved wooden piece representing the Hindu God Arjuna from South East Asia.
Stop 17
Zulu shields
Collected during the Anglo-Zulu wars, these impressive shields are made from the hides of Native Nguni cattle.
Stop 18
Theban mummy & coffin
Excavated from a tomb in Thebes, this Egyptian mummy and coffin has revealed some surprises with the aid of new technologies.
Stop 19
Raven head mask
Masks made by Canada’s First Nations people showing spirit beings in animal forms.
Stop 20
Mawson's sledge
The Australasian Antarctic Expedition led by geologist Sir Douglas Mawson used wooden sledges like this across Antarctica's icy surface.
Stop 21
Opalised pliosaur
'Eric' the pilosaur swam in a vast inland sea during the Cretaceous period, 110 million years ago.
Stop 22
Canowindra fish fossils
Uncovered at Canowindra in 1955, these spectacularly preserved fish fossils depict ancient ecosystems frozen in time.

Stop 1
Westpac Long Gallery
Discover the stories behind 100 treasures of the Australian Museum.
Stop 2
Australia's first bank note and Maitland Bar Gold Nugget
The foundation of the Australian currency and a priceless large gold nugget.
Stop 3
Krefft's chair
Chair of Gerard Krefft, Museum Curator, zoologist and a central figure in Australian science in the 19th century .
Stop 4
Platypus skin rug
Made from the skins of 75 platypuses, this rug reminds us of a time when many native animals were unprotected and considered pests.
Stop 5
Skeleton of 'Sir Hercules' and a rider
Affectionately known as the 'Bone Ranger', this specimen highlights the importance of horses and horsemanship in Australian history.
Stop 6
Rainforest shields
The vibrant indigenous shields from the rainforests of far north Queensland were created as tools for survival.
Stop 7
Morning star pole
Pointing heavenwards in the centre of this showcase is a morning star pole from Elcho Island in the Northern Territory.
Stop 8
Crocodile turtle mask
This striking and rare mask from the Torres Strait Islands were worn by male dancers in funerary rites and other important ceremonies.
Stop 9
Roro feather headdress
This elaborate headdress made by the Roro people from the highlands of Papua New Guinea is a vibrant example of the connection between people and environment.
Stop 10
Bird-shaped pestle
Integral to the rise of agriculture in Papua New Guinea, this ancient stone pounding tool tells of one of the oldest histories of food production in the world.
Stop 11
Upe hats
The sacred hats of the Papua New Guinea Buka Island hold many secrets of lost practices and cultural knowledge.
Stop 12
Malagan figures
Showcasing a rich history of the New Ireland people, these ritualistic figures honour a person's memory after their death.
Stop 13
Mother and child
A enigmatic figure of a mother and child from the Solomon Islands representing a world in profound transition.
Stop 14
Kiribati armour
Once used in ritualised battles to settle disputes, the Kiribati armour reveals a fascinating history.
Stop 15
Cook's Hawaiian cape
On his final voyage to Hawaii, this magnificent cape was presented to Captain James Cook by Ali’i (chief) Kalani‘ōpu‘u.
Stop 16
Figure of Arjuna
A ritualistic carved wooden piece representing the Hindu God Arjuna from South East Asia.
Stop 17
Zulu shields
Collected during the Anglo-Zulu wars, these impressive shields are made from the hides of Native Nguni cattle.
Stop 18
Theban mummy & coffin
Excavated from a tomb in Thebes, this Egyptian mummy and coffin has revealed some surprises with the aid of new technologies.
Stop 19
Raven head mask
Masks made by Canada’s First Nations people showing spirit beings in animal forms.
Stop 20
Mawson's sledge
The Australasian Antarctic Expedition led by geologist Sir Douglas Mawson used wooden sledges like this across Antarctica's icy surface.
Stop 21
Opalised pliosaur
'Eric' the pilosaur swam in a vast inland sea during the Cretaceous period, 110 million years ago.
Stop 22
Canowindra fish fossils
Uncovered at Canowindra in 1955, these spectacularly preserved fish fossils depict ancient ecosystems frozen in time.

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