If you are curious as to where a major concentration of collection of artwork in Western Australia rests, the answer is simple; it is no other place than the Art Gallery of Western Australia which is a popular tourist destination. The gallery houses more than 15,500 art works, and the surrounding area is marked by a number of shopping outlets and many a boutique hotel in Perth.

Earlier, the museum was located in the Jubilee Building along with the State Museum and Library. The Jubilee Building was supposed to be made a public library and was to be opened to coincide with Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. However, things did not happen as planned, as is the way with many things, and work had barely begun on the building come 1887. In 1901, the Duke of Cornwall and York laid the foundation stone to initiate the Art Gallery, which is now housed in close proximity to COMO The Treasury, Perth. George Temple-Poole, Ludwig Glauert, James Battye, George Pitt Morison, John Winthrop Hackett and Sir James Dromgole Linton are credited with recommending funds for the State Art Collection.

The collection of artworks has a wide range. The main gallery you get to see today was built in 1977. With the 1977 refurbishment, the building had a face lift with more cultural institutions, of which The Alexander Library is one example. Walking inside amid the artworks is an experience not to be forgotten. Starting from India from the Asian region, you can slowly move towards the European region which houses the Australian collection. The gallery also holds art exhibitions at times; these exhibitions serve to introduce people to the traditional art of Western Australia. ‘Year 12 Perspectives’, an annual exhibition for example, includes a diverse range of prints, sculptures, fashion design and digital art.

Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
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