The Waigani Museum is located in Port Moresby along Independence Drive and sits next to the National Parliament House and Independence Hill.

The museum was an independence gift from the Australian people and was built in 1975 and was opened in 1977 by Papua New Guinea’s first Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael T. Somare.

The Museum’s founding collections were collected by First Administrator for British Papua, Sir William MacGregor, between 1889 and 1898. This spiritual house is home to more than 30,000 anthropological collections, well over 30,000 archaeological objects, more than 18,000 natural history specimens, about 20,000 historical material and about 800 contemporary art works.

These collections are stored in storerooms and displayed in its newly renovated galleries. There are 5 display galleries each with mounted exhibitions. The galleries are;

  • Susan Karike Gallery
  • Ian Saem Manjep Gallery
  • Be Jijimo Gallery
  • Tumbuna Gallery
  • Bernard Mullu Narokobi Gallery

Displayed on the lawns outside the Museum are a few artefacts and war relics from the Modern History collections.

The Museum has an ongoing education programme and has a theatrette for conferences and seminars, classroom for school education programs, function area and pavilion suitable for corporate events and a floriculture and festival village.

The Museum is open on Monday to Saturday from 9am to 3pm and Sunday from 1pm to 3pm.