4 Best Sights in The Outback, Australia

Collections at this excellent—and free—museum and art gallery encompass Aboriginal art and culture, maritime archaeology, Northern Territory history, and natural sciences. One gallery is devoted to Cyclone Tracy, where you can listen to a terrifying recording of the howling winds. You can also see "Sweetheart," a 16-foot, 10-inch stuffed saltwater crocodile that was known for attacking fishing boats on the Finniss River in the 1970s.

This historical display sheds light on the difficulties and immense skill involved in pearl harvesting. You'll have a chance to check out historical artifacts, get an insight into the risky lives of pearl divers, who spent years aboard pearling luggers and diving for pearl shells, and learn how the industry has evolved on the regular 90-minute tours. This is a must-see for those interested in Broome's history, and for anyone who wants to sample pearl meat, a true delicacy.

Due to its isolation and sparse population, the Northern Territory played an important role in the expansion of aviation in Australia, and the Darwin Aviation museum traces the history of flight Down Under. Planes on display include a Japanese Zero shot down on the first day of bombing raids in 1942, a massive B-52 bomber, Mirage, F-111, and a RAN Wessex Helicopter that was involved in the cleanup of Darwin after Cyclone Tracy. The most recent aircraft added to the collection is a RAAF F/A-18 classic hornet fighter jet. There’s an exhibition on The Great Air Race from London to Darwin in 1919, as well as one on female aviators.

World War II came to Australia when 188 Japanese planes bombed Darwin on February 19, 1942, killing 235 people and injuring an additional 400. This high-tech, newer section of the museum at East Point—opened in 2012 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the attack—tells the story of the people who were there that day, the events that led up to and followed it, and Darwin's role in the war. The Defence of Darwin Experience is the highlight—when you hear the air raid siren, head to the back of the museum and enter the theater to view an intense, multisensory telling of what happened that day, complete with loud explosive sounds, strobe lights, and flash effects. It's part of the Darwin Military Museum, which has lots of guns and other military equipment on display, as well as some original buildings that were there during World War II.