Laura McBride

Laura McBride is a Wailwan and Kooma woman and Director, First Nations at the Australian Museum (AM). Laura leads the First Nations strategic direction and operations and also manages the Archaeology, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Pasifika cultural collections.

Laura’s vision for the AM centres on prioritising and amplifying First Nations voices so that Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Pasifika communities represent themselves and their cultures within the Museum. Laura has played a pivotal role in assisting the Executive Leadership Team in planning and actioning the vision for the AM to move beyond its colonial past towards a more connected future with First Nations stakeholders and knowledge-holders. Indigenous self-determination in representation, care, classification and use of cultural objects, is leading the first Nations strategic direction.

Laura has 15 years professional experience working in Museums, Indigenous education, and cultural heritage. Laura is an award-winning curator and lead First Nations storytelling with GADI and Unsettled exhibitions.

Laura’s academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (University of Sydney) conferred in 2008 (double Major in Psychology and Australian Indigenous Studies), and Master of Aboriginal Education (University of Technology Sydney) conferred in 2012.