Research Institute Gallery

What: EXHIBITION
When: Open 9am to 5pm daily
Tickets: Included with museum entry
$0 to $15

Encounter cutting-edge research, fresh discoveries and valuable collection objects on display for the first time.

It’s in our nature to ask questions: What lives in the depths of the sea? How do we know if a river system is healthy? Is extinction forever? For more than 165 years Museums Victoria researchers have been inquiring, collecting and collaborating to understand our changing world.

Today, as we work to solve issues in our region and globally, the Museums Victoria Research Institute's diverse expertise in biodiversity, geology, history, technology and First Peoples’ knowledge and culture is more vital than ever.

Cultural safety warning: Visitors are advised that this gallery contains preserved animal specimens.

What's on display

Through collection objects, film, photographs and interviews, this exhibition showcases some of our active and ongoing research, focusing on the biological and geological sciences.

Explore this selection of objects currently on display or view all the collection objects.

Museums Victoria Collections

Thylacine

Poignant specimens of this extinct species can only be found in a few museums world-wide. Our research is revealing new insights into its biology.

Museums Victoria Collections

Tribute Spiderfish

Researchers found this fish at a depth of 1500m in the Indian Ocean. It uses fins as a tripod to raise itself off the seafloor.

Museums Victoria Collections

Plains-wanderer

Researchers have been using acoustic methods to monitor this shy and critically endangered species.

Museums Victoria Collections

Beaked Whale rostrum

This extraordinary fossil from the snout of an ancient whale was found at Beaumaris Beach in Melbourne and is part of an active research program.

Related stories from Museums Victoria

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Secrets from beyond extinction: the Tasmanian tiger

The entire thylacine genome has now been sequenced, revealing the apex marsupial predator was in poor genetic health and may have struggled to fight disease had it survived.

A large research ship sits at a dock in Darwin

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Investigating the IOT: deep-sea science

A journey into Australia's unexplored deep-sea Indian Ocean Territories.

A White-plumed Honeyeater aperch on a wire

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Birds and birdwatching

Birds are highly visible and vocal, spectacularly diverse and fascinating to watch and study.

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The platypus: a unique and vulnerable Australian

What can we do to help the platypus?

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Listening for Nature

Researchers are using advanced digital tools to listen in on animal sounds and map who is where from croaks and calls.

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Ancient whales had more bite than today’s gentle giants

The cutting edge of whale evolution.

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Whale vs shark

Evidence of shark bite 24 million years ago.

About the Museums Victoria Research Institute

For more than 165 years, Museums Victoria’s research and collections have inspired inquiry and discovery, creating new knowledge that shapes our understanding of our place, our past, our society and the relationship between this region and the world.

Today, Museums Victoria is a globally leading museum research organisation with an international reputation as a trusted source of insight, evidence and information. Through our network of museums, via our education programs and outreach into communities, and across our digital channels that reach millions of people each year, we bring ground-breaking research to communities across Victoria and around the world.

Find out more