Museum of Tropical Queensland, located in Townsville, a two-minute walk from the city centre, explores the history and natural heritage of the region. There are huge collections of Great Barrier Reef corals and historical artefacts that tell the story of North Queensland's past. Exhibits tell the story of life in the tropics, the local flora and fauna and the creatures that inhabit the deep ocean. In total, the museum has more than 2.5 million specimens on display!
Corals are the museum's main area of interest, with numerous research programmes focused on the evolution and current status of coral reefs. The coral collection of this museum is considered the most scientifically important collection in the world. And the museum's scientists have long been internationally recognised in a wide variety of scientific fields, most notably those related to the study of the sea.
Of particular interest is the collection of artefacts from the wreck of the British warship Pandora. The ship sank off the coast of northern Queensland in 1791, with some of the participants in the famous mutiny on the Bounty on board. The artefacts are located in the Maritime Archaeology section.
The museum was opened in 1987 as a branch of the Queensland Museum. In 2000, a new building was constructed to house the museum's extensive collection. The construction cost A$18 million.
