Construction of the new museum has been completed and it is due to open next November. Supplied: Michael Haluwana.
Benjamin Gubana, New WA Museum hits construction milestone as free visitor entry announced for first 18 months, ABC News, 19 Dec 2019
Western Australia’s new $396 million state-of-the-art museum has reached practical completion, with the State Government announcing it will delay the new $15 entry fee for the first 18 months after it opens next year.
Construction of the new building began in 2017 and has incorporated new buildings amongst the original heritage-listed architecture in the Perth Cultural Centre.
The building includes eight major galleries, a 1,000 square metre exhibition gallery and a cafe and function space.
Workers will now spend the next year arranging exhibits into the spaces before it opens in November 2020.
View WA Museum construction timelapse video here.
Minister for the Arts David Templeman said the construction phase created jobs for nearly 3,000 local workers.
“We’ve had at least 80 per cent local content,” he said.
“Including of course the sourcing of the infrastructure needed to build this beautiful, beautiful new museum for WA.”
Free entry to cost Government several million dollars
The Government had been set to impose a $15 entry fee, but Mr Templeman said that would now be delayed by 18 months.
“From opening, for the first 18 months, it will be free admission … for all people who visit this museum,” he said.
“We want particularly Western Australians to get here, to celebrate [and] to experience a very, very special moment in WA history, and I think it’s something that we can all be absolutely proud of.”
The Minister said the Government would also review the free entry period closely before deciding whether to extend it.
