Acknowledgment of Country:
The Phillip Island and District Historical Society’s Museum primarily focuses on the period from European encounter to the present.
The Society respects and acknowledges the deep history and culture of Australia’s First Peoples.
We are committed to honouring the legacy as we explore and present narratives of our shared history
The History of our Museum:
Our first museum was opened in December 1982 in what was called the Heritage Centre in Thompson Avenue, where Berninneit, the new Cowes Cultural Centre is located today. It operated continuously until early 2020 when closed due to the demolition and rebuilding of the Cultural Centre.
During the construction period, a public vote to name the new centre was conducted by Bass Coast Shire Council. The First Nation’s name of Berninneit (pronounced burn-eh-neet) – meaning “gather together” – was chosen and officially endorsed by Geographical Names Victoria.
The Phillip Island and District Historical Society was first formed under the name of the Phillip Island & Western Port Historical Society Inc. established in 1941. However, it went into a hiatus during the 1950s and in 1967 was reformed as The Phillip Island & District Historical Society.
The society’s museum was opened in December 1982 in what was called the Heritage Centre in Thompson Avenue, where the new Cowes Cultural Centre is located today. It operated continuously until early 2020 when closed due to the demolition and rebuilding of the Cultural Centre.
The museum reopened in November 2023 in the new centre named Berninneit with an extensive display of digital stories supported by historical artefacts and images.