museums Archives - Planet Whitley

The skeleton of Old Tom inside the Eden Killer Whale Museum on the New South Wales South Coast.

Guide to Eden Killer Whale Museum, NSW

What is the Eden Killer Whale Museum? The Eden Killer Whale Museum is a regional museum in Eden, New South Wales that tells one of the most extraordinary stories of human-animal cooperation ever documented. Established in 1931 and overlooking Twofold Bay, the museum was originally…

Australia, Eden, museums, New South Wales, NSW South Coast, wildlife

The Giants' Hall inside the Hofburg, Innsbruck.

The Hofburg, Innsbruck: What visitors should expect

What is the Hofburg in Innsbruck? The Hofburg is a former Habsburg palace in Innsbruck and one of Austria's three most significant cultural buildings (alongside Vienna's Hofburg and Schönbrunn Palace). Originally completed in 1500 under Emperor Maximilian I, it owes its current appearance to Empress…

Austria, Innsbruck, museums, palaces

Unusual car paint job at Autoworld Brussels.

Autoworld, Brussels: What first time visitors should expect

Why visit Autoworld in Brussels? Autoworld Brussels is Belgium's National Automobile Museum, housed in the South Hall of the magnificent Cinquantenaire Park complex. Opened on 29th September 1986, this museum showcases over 300 vehicles spanning from 1896 to contemporary supercars, making it one of Europe's…

Belgium, Brussels, museums

Guide to the King Richard III Visitor Centre, Leicester

Why visit the King Richard III Visitor Centre? The King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester tells one of the most extraordinary archaeological detective stories ever told: how England's last king to die in battle was discovered under a city centre car park in 2012,…

East Midlands, England, Leicester, Leicestershire, museums, UK

Polar Museum, Cambridge: Visitor guide with times, prices & parking

Why visit the Polar Museum in Cambridge? The Polar Museum, housed within the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, is the UK's only dedicated polar museum and offers an extraordinary collection documenting Arctic and Antarctic exploration. Founded in 1920 as a national…

Cambridge, East of England, England, museums, UK

Inside the NGV International, Melbourne.

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne: A practical guide for first time visitors

The National Gallery of Victoria operates across two magnificent buildings in Melbourne's heart. Founded in 1861, it's Australia's oldest and most visited art museum, holding over 76,000 works — the largest collection of any Australian gallery. Both sites offer free entry to permanent collections, making…

Australia, Melbourne, museums, Victoria

Kirkgate inside York Castle Museum, York.

York Castle Museum guide: Visitor tips, hours, prices & accessibility

York Castle Museum brings 400 years of social history to life through immersive exhibits housed in Georgian prison buildings. The museum's centrepiece is Kirkgate, a meticulously recreated Victorian street where you can step into authentic period shops and meet costumed characters. From prison cells to…

England, museums, UK, York, Yorkshire

Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath, London.

Kenwood House: Practical guide to London’s free historic art gallery

Kenwood House, managed by English Heritage, is one of London's most underrated cultural highlights. This elegant 18th-century villa, set on the northern edge of Hampstead Heath, is celebrated for its glorious architecture by Robert Adam and its world-class collection of Old Master paintings, known as…

art, England, London, museums, UK

The view from Alcatraz Island, San Francisco.

Why the audioguide makes a trip to Alcatraz Island special

Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay is one of the world’s most famous prisons. Discover the history, stories, and modern-day attractions on a visit to the island - but make sure you use the brilliant audioguide. Watching films about Alcatraz Island I haven’t seen The…

California, museums, San Francisco

The Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, Philadelpha – and how Australia’s highest mountain got its name

Exploring the surprising story behind Mt Kosciuszko’s name at a tiny memorial to a Polish patriot in Philadelphia. Ann Relf’s boarding house is a handsome but unshowy kind of place. It has a clean, red brick worthiness that looks proudly maintained without dressing up in…

Australia, mountains, museums, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA