Though not as vast as the state galleries in New South Wales and Victoria, the Art Gallery of Western Australia in Perth has a lot going for it. In addition to landing blockbuster exhibitions like “Heath Ledger: A Life In Pictures” and “The Rise of Sneaker Culture,” the AGWA has more than 17,000 pieces in its permanent collection, with an emphasis on indigenous art. Alick Tipoti’s Girelal linocuts on Hahnemühle paper will floor you. The social justice story behind Vernon Ah Kee’s therewasafall will break you. These are works that start conversations—and sometimes leave you speechless.
Art Gallery WA is open Wednesday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the guards start kicking visitors out 10 to 15 minutes early. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Note: AGWA is part of the larger Perth Cultural Centre, home to the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, two theaters, a library, and the Western Australia Museum, which is closed for renovation until 2020.
Perth Cultural Centre, Roe St., Perth, Western Australia, Australia; +61-8-9492-6600.