WA Shipwrecks Museum

Dive into the fascinating history of Australia’s oldest shipwrecks. The WA Shipwrecks Museum is internationally recognised for its contributions to maritime archaeology and shipwreck conservation. Journey through its galleries to learn about Western Australia’s treacherous coast, first European encounters, the riches of maritime trade and one of the deadliest mutinies in known history. Located on Whadjuk Nyoongar land, the Museum is housed inside Fremantle’s historic Commissariat buildings. Originally built to store the food, clothing and building supplies of the Swan River colony, these buildings are among the first Western Australian sites built using convict labour. With the creation of the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976, the Western Australian Museum became the delegated authority for the management of Commonwealth historic shipwrecks and relics in Western Australia. As a result, the State Government funded the conversion of the heritage Commissariat Buildings into what is now known as the WA Shipwrecks Museum. It opened to the public in 1979.