The Batavia Gallery
WA Shipwrecks Museum

Batavia Gallery

The Batavia Gallery is the centrepiece of the Shipwrecks Museum. The gallery houses the reconstructed remains of the VOC ship Batavia, excavated by archaeologists in the 1970s.

After an extensive treatment and restoration process, the remains of the ship’s stern were rebuilt in this gallery.

The gallery also features a skeleton of one of the people murdered on the Abrolhos Islands, a replica of the impressive portico façade–carried as cargo to be used as a grand entrance to the city of Batavia–a reconstruction of the Captain’s cabin, and numerous other artefacts recovered from the wreck.

There is an elevated viewing deck to look down upon the stern of the Batavia, and appreciate the size and scope of the wreck and gallery.

Moving the Batavia Cannon

This photo gallery documents the fitting of Batavia Gallery with a 28lb cannon (cast in 1616) recovered from the wreck of Batavia.

A person in grey trousers and suspenders over a dark blue sweeping in a dimly lit museum gallery under a portico made from large brick slabs. Piles of smaller bricks cover the floor.
Dark room with a rope leading to a bright open doorway where silhouettes of two people are visible.
An open doorway into a dark room where three individuals support a large cannon hoisted on a crane arm into the building. A carpark and grass is visible in the distance.
Dark room leading to a bright open doorway where an individual attends to a large cannon.
People moving a large cannon on a wooden carriage in a paved outdoor setting with a truck and palm trees in the background.
A dark room with an open door to a brightly lit outdoor area framed by a large brick portico. The internal space is filled with construction material and bollards and individuals attend to various parts of the scene.
Dark room leading to a bright open doorway where a large cannon is tethered to a rope system.
Dark museum room with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark museum room with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Museum interior with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico. Individuals work in the space around construction equipment.
Museum interior with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico. Individuals work in the space around construction equipment.
Museum interior with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico. Individuals work in the space around construction equipment.
Dark museum room with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark room with a rope leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark room with a rope leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark room with a rope leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark museum room with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark museum room with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark museum room with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Dark museum room with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico leading to a bright open doorway where several people pull and push a large cannon in via a rope system.
Overhead shot of a large cannon being guided into a dimly lit museum gallery with eight people assisting or overseeing its transportation.
Museum interior with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico where several people transport in a large cannon in via a rope system.
Museum interior with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico where several people transport in a large cannon in via a rope system.
Museum interior with large wooden ship structure, glass display cases, and a stone portico where several people transport in a large cannon in via a rope system.
Overhead shot of a large cannon being guided into a dimly lit museum gallery with eight people assisting or overseeing its transportation.
Overhead shot of a large cannon being guided into a dimly lit museum gallery with eight people assisting or overseeing its transportation.
Overhead shot of a large cannon being guided into a dimly lit museum gallery with eight people assisting or overseeing its transportation.
Plaque describing the history of a bronze 28lb cannon from the Dutch East Indiaman "Batavia." The text reads Bronze 28L cannon cast in Amsterdam in 1616 recovered by naval diving team in 1963 from the wreck of the Dutch East Indiaman "Batavia" which was wrecked on the Abrolhos islands in 1629.
A museum staff member in khaki uniform leans casually on the end of a large canon which appears green in the dim lighting of the museum gallery. A ship is partially visible in the background.
A close up on the end of a large canon showing a series of intricately carved letters and emblems which are partially disfigured by the angle and the canon deterioration.
An image of the back of a large canon showing its sturdy wooden base and decorative end piece. The canon is situated in a dimly-lit museum gallery.
A large canon on a sturdy red base with large round wheels standing on a mount of small worn-looking bricks in a dimly lit museum gallery