Museum of Water is a radically different exhibition that showcases, in Australia’s driest state, our connection to the world’s most essential life source. Commissioned by the Perth Festival, UK artist Amy Sharrocks and the Museum custodians have been towing their rusty trailer around the State for over a year, turning strangers into friends and liquid into art as they collect watery donations and the memories that go with them.

The exhibition is the culmination of the last year’s work. View the ever-growing collection as you walk through more than 500 bottles of water, each with its own remarkable story. There are samples from Poison Gully and the Great Barrier Reef, grey water from a laundry and a splash from a Paralympian’s swimming pool.

You can also follow a stream of water words as the Museum’s custodians wander the collection and share the many tales behind each bottle with visitors.

Donate Water

Share your own story by donating a bottle of water that is precious to you.
Donations will be accepted Thu 8 Feb Sun 4 Mar between 11am and 3pm daily.

Museum of Water Events

Spend your Festival weekends diving into a program of free workshops, sensory walking tours and conversations. Try your hand at building water crafts with a maritime archaeologist before setting sail on open waters, learn how to have a 3 minute shower, trace the former shorelines of Walyalup, distill the Festival scent damask rose, and explore your grace and stamina by dancing in water with Rio Olympic synchronized swimmers. View the full program on the Perth Festival website. Note: registrations are required for some sessions.

Weekend 1: Sat 10 – Mon 12 Feb

Morning Yarns: Story Sharing with the Museum of Water Collection
Sat 10 Feb | 10:15am | Main Gallery | Free
Morning Yarns is a weekly coming together of the custodians who look after and care for the Museum of Water collection. Grab a coffee and listen in as they spend time sharing stories about the newest water donations and their precious stories.

Our Past, Present & Future Through the Prism of Water: A Day of Discussions
Sat 10 Feb | 10:15am | Free
A full day of lively and engaging talks. Click here to see the full line up of speakers and topics.

Walyalup Water Walk
Sun 11 Feb | 8–10am | Starts at Kidogo Art House, Bathers Beach | Free | Registrations required
Join this sensory walking tour led by Whadjuk Noongar artist Sharyn Egan, artist and musician Mei Saraswati and artist Matt Aiken, featuring Koondarm Choir, and uncover the hidden ecologies of Fremantle’s water ways. Visit the Perth Festival website for full details and to register.

Distilling Memory: Rosewater
Sun 11 Feb | 10:30am–12:30pm | Free | Registrations Required
Iranian immigrants Mahin Nowbakht and Farangeez Ahmadi lead a workshop on distilling damask rose petals to make rosewater, this year’s Festival scent. Visit the Perth Festival website for full details and to register.

Tactile Tours
Mon 12 Feb | 10:30am & 11:45am | Main Gallery | Free
As part of DADAA’s Access All Arts program, there will be two tactile tours of the exhibition for people who are blind or vision-impaired. To book your place in one of these tours please contact:

Jacqueline Homer
[email protected]
0400 111 018

Weekend 2: Sat 17 – Sun 18 Feb

Morning Yarns: Story Sharing with the Museum of Water Collection
Sat 17 Feb | 10:30am | Main Gallery | Free
Morning Yarns is a weekly coming together of the custodians who look after and care for the Museum of Water collection. Grab a coffee and listen in as they spend time sharing stories about the newest water donations and their precious stories.

Intimate Encounter: How to have a 3-minute shower
Sat 17 Feb | 11am–3pm | Sessions every 30 mins | Free | Registration required, phone 08 6488 5555
Hop into your swimmers and get to the bottom of one particular sustainability bugbear – the domestic shower. Artist Jen Jamieson shares how to save the planet and come out smelling as fresh as an environmentally-aware daisy in three minutes. Four participants per session.

Youth Takeover
Sat 17 & Sun 18 Nov | 11am–3pm daily | Free
The exhibition will be overrun by Perth youth for one weekend as students from John Curtin College of the Arts take you through the collection of water and share fascinating WA stories. No bookings required.

Soundtracking Water Stories Workshop & Concert
Sun 18 Feb | 10:30am–12:30pm | Free | Registrations required
Inspired by the Museum’s vast collection of stories, participants will tell their own through writing, narration and soundscape building. Using water as an instrument and with the aid of hydrophones, loops stations, natural materials and assorted instruments local artists/musicians Mei Saraswati and Tessa Darcey will lead how to soundtrack water stories as a group. This workshop is suitable for all skill levels. This workshop ends with a lunchtime water concert at midday.

Weekend 3: Sat 24 – Sun 25 Feb

Morning Yarns: Story Sharing with the Museum of Water Collection
Sat 24 Feb | 10:30am | Main Gallery | Free
Morning Yarns is a weekly coming together of the custodians who look after and care for the Museum of Water collection. Grab a coffee and listen in as they spend time sharing stories about the newest water donations and their precious stories.

DIY Watercraft Building Workshop
Sat 24 & Sun 25 Feb | 10am–3:30pm daily | Free | Registrations required
A weekend of collaborative DIY water craft making with unconventional materials that will equip you for future high tides predicted to reclaim Fremantle shoreline in 2100. Led by artist Janet Carter and maritime archaeologist Tom Vosmer, half and full day workshops available, as well as guest lunchtime talks.  Visit the Perth Festival website for full details and to book your place.

Ceramics Masterclass: Water Carriers
Sun 25 Feb | 10am–4pm | $132 (FAC members $118.80) | Enrol online, places limited
Be part of an all-day masterclass led by local ceramicist Stewart Scambler and WA Museum Head of Anthropology and Archaeology Dr Moya Smith. They’ll show you how to create vessels for carrying water via traditional handbuilding techniques.

Weekend 4: Sat 3 – Sun 4 Mar

Morning Yarns: Story Sharing with the Museum of Water Collection
Sat 4 Mar | 10:30am | Main Gallery | Free
Morning Yarns is a weekly coming together of the custodians who look after and care for the Museum of Water collection. Grab a coffee and listen in as they spend time sharing stories about the newest water donations and their precious stories.

Water Futures: Distilling Workshop
Sat 3 Mar | 10:30am & 1pm | Free | Registrations required
Take control of your water future and learn how to design and build your own system to distill fresh water with local artist Loren Kronemyer. This workshop explores our current industrial water landscape and equips you with ways to create sustainable and imaginative solutions for water sovereignty.

Intimate Encounter: How to have a 3-minute shower
Sat 3 Mar | 11am–3pm | Sessions every 30 mins | Free | Registration required, phone 08 6488 5555
Hop into your swimmers and get to the bottom of one particular sustainability bugbear – the domestic shower. Artist Jen Jamieson shares how to save the planet and come out smelling as fresh as an environmentally-aware daisy in three minutes. Four participants per session.

AUSLAN Tour
Sat 3 Mar | 1–2pm | Free | Book via email [email protected]

Museum of Water Celebration Day
Sun 4 Mar | 9am–1pm | Fremantle Leisure Centre | No bookings, pool entry fees apply
Spend the final Festival weekend at Fremantle Leisure Centre and dive into a family friendly program of behind the scenes pool tours, swimmers’ manifestos, synchronised swimming demonstrations and more.

Museum of Water Perth Festival logos 

Created by Amy Sharrocks. A Perth Festival Commission. Presented in association with Western Australian Museum.