HomeDiscover & LearnCultural collectionsAboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders CollectionCultural objects, art and technology Explore cultural objects, art and technology Discover some of the cultural material and objects in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island collection. Updated 22/05/25 Kalti Paarti: Carved emu eggs Kalti Paarti is the practice of emu egg carving that depicts rich visual history through commemorating First Nations traditions and connection to animals and the land. Discover more Ghost net art Fishing nets post a threat to marine life and birds. Learn how First Nation communities and artists are using ghost net sculptures as a way to tell traditional stories. Pormpuraaw Art & Culture CentreDarnley Island Arts Centre Learn more Dance boards by Emma Nungarrayi, 1970s and 1980s Dance boards by Emma Nungarrayi, 1970s and 1980s Discover more Crocodile Mask from the Torres Strait- E017339 In the Torres Strait Islands turtle shell masks were worn for rituals and ceremonies. Masks represented ancestors and associated totems, frequently the crocodile. Discover more The Hedley and McCulloch Collection: Torres Strait 1907 Between 29 August and 4 October 1907 Charles Hedley and Alan R. McCulloch collected 167 objects, mostly from Mer (Murray Island), Torres Strait. Discover more Survival and revival of the string figures of Yirrkala String figures, or Matjka-wuma, are patterns or designs made on the hands with a loop of string. Discover more Shellfish hooks Sequence of shellfish hooks manufacture for fishing. Discover more Wallaby trap from northern Queensland Basket traps such as this one were woven in the shape of a cone with one end tied shut with twine. Discover more Wallaby-skin water carrier This is a water carrier made from the skin of a wallaby, and was collected in the Lachlan-Darling area of western New South Wales prior to 1885. Discover more Bark canoe from New South Wales Aboriginal bark canoe from the north coast of NSW Discover more Dilly bag from south-western Queensland, c1905 Dilly bag from south-western Queensland, c1905 Discover more Shell forehead band from northern Queensland This shell forehead band was made from 59 rectangular pieces of nautilus shell, each with a centrally drilled hole. Discover more Boomerangs Discover the diversity of boomerangs in the Museum's collection, and learn about these distinctive cultural objects. Boomerang forms Discover more Aboriginal toys Toys were designed to amuse and educate children, and also to prepare them for adulthood. The toys in our collection were acquired between 1885 and 2018, and are made from various materials. DollsRattlesSpinning tops See more Discover more Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander collection timeline A timeline of Australian Museum exhibitions, events, cultural object and policies connected to Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. Read more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collection Discover the richness and diversity of cultural material and objects in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collection. Discover more First Nations Learn more about this land’s First Nations peoples and cultures. CollectionsKnowledgeExhibitions Find out more You may also be interested in...
