Tasmania · Attraction
Burnie Regional Museum
A century of North-West life recreated
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Housed in a purpose-built gallery in the heart of Burnie, the Burnie Regional Museum is home to one of Tasmania's largest collections, including more than 400,000 photographic images documenting life across the North-West Coast. Its centrepiece is Federation Street - a meticulously reconstructed early-twentieth-century streetscape complete with a saddler, blacksmith's forge, general store, printer, and photographer's studio. Admission is free, making it one of the best-value cultural experiences on the North-West Coast.
Federation Street transports visitors back to the commercial and domestic life of colonial Burnie, with shop fronts filled with period furniture, tools, and memorabilia arranged exactly as they would have appeared a century ago. Interpretive panels and artefacts tell the stories of the people who settled and shaped this corner of Tasmania, from timber workers and dairy farmers to the port workers who made Burnie one of the state's most industrious cities.
Beyond Federation Street, the museum's permanent galleries trace the natural and social history of the North-West region, with rotating community displays and photographic exhibitions drawn from its vast archive. The museum is operated by Burnie Arts and sits close to the city's civic centre, making it easy to combine with a visit to the adjacent Burnie Regional Art Gallery. Entry is free, though donations to the Friends of the Burnie Regional Museum are warmly welcomed.
Scenic views
