WA Museum Boola Bardip collaborates with Melbourne’s ACMI to deliver Wonderland exhibition

The playful and highly immersive Wonderland exhibition - designed by ACMI, the Melbourne-based museum of screen culture - has opened at the WA Museum Boola Bardip and will run until 23rd April 2023.

Wonderland celebrates the screen history of Lewis Carroll's timeless stories - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.

Creative curator of the Wonderland exhibition, Chris Harris currently works as the Director of Exhibitions and Touring at ACMI and led the design process for the original showing of the Wonderland exhibition in Melbourne, and has been instrumental in assisting the exhibition come to Perth.

He has worked extensively across art and film festivals, theatre and performance as well as museum exhibits and experiences, and has fascinating insights to offer on his expertise in exhibition management.

Perth is just the second Australian city to host Wonderland.

WA Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman noted "I am delighted to see WA Museum Boola Bardip collaborating with another renowned Australian museum to bring such a clever and creative exhibition to Western Australia.

"The story of Alice in Wonderland has transcended generations. ACMI, and a team of leading Australian collaborators, have drawn upon the wonder and curiosity of Carroll's stories - the subject of more than 40 films and television programs.

"I would encourage everyone to take advantage of this wondrous exhibition and all the associated programs, events and activities WA Museum Boola Bardip has on this summer."

Visitors will quickly be captured by Alice's many different and wondrous worlds - including the Hallway of Doors, Pool of Tears, the Looking-Glass House and the Queen's Croquet Garden. The exhibition includes a series of imaginative and playful digital experiences that draw on the magic and curiosity of Carroll's tales.

From the earliest optical toys to silent film, animation, live-action, CGI and beyond, Wonderland takes audiences on Alice's iconic journey through popular culture, demonstrating how artists, filmmakers and fans have returned to her story, with the help of screen technologies, for over a century.

Further enhancing the experience, visitors will be given a Lost Map of Wonderland at the start of their exhibition journey, enabling them to reveal secret information, trigger animation moments, solve riddles and animate themselves as a card soldier in The Queens Croquet Ground.

To complement the exhibition, WA Museum Boola Bardip has drawn on Lewis Carroll's creativity to design a program of events and activities for all ages. Enjoy the Illuminate: Alice projections onto the Old Goal, as part of the City of Perth Christmas Lights Trail. Experience the exhibition after hours with the Half Mad Bar or sign the kids up for a range of curious and creative school holiday activities and drop and leave programs.

Wonderland runs until 23rd April 2023, open between 9.30am to 5pm daily (closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day). Ticket prices include $15 junior, $17.50 concession and $20 standard. A family pass is available for $60. Additional fees apply for entry into the Museum's permanent galleries.

Images: Wonderland ACMI In situ Credit: Phoebe Powell