Islamic Museum of Australia, History museum in Thornbury, Victoria, Australia
The Islamic Museum of Australia is a history museum in Thornbury with galleries dedicated to Islamic art, including architecture, calligraphy, paintings, glass, ceramics, and textiles from local and international artists. The collection displays both historical and contemporary works spanning different cultures and regions.
The museum was founded in 2010 and officially opened in 2014, supported by government grants and private donations. The initiative grew from an effort to document and share the long history of Muslims in Australia.
The name reflects the Muslim presence in Australia since the 1800s. Visitors encounter stories of people from Afghanistan, Malaysia, and Albania who lived and worked across this country.
The museum sits near the border of Thornbury and Brunswick East, with its rear facing Merri Creek. The entrance is on the side away from the creek, so approach from the street rather than the creek path. The galleries are indoors, so visits do not depend on daylight.
The rusted Corten steel facade was designed to evoke the Australian outback; it wraps a white cube clad in geometric tilework carrying Arabic calligraphy. The building was designed by the Melbourne firm desypher, and the site backs onto Merri Creek on the Thornbury–Brunswick East border.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,457 contributors worldwide.
