An Aboriginal history exhibition described by Ken Wyatt as "hair-raising" launched at the Museum of Perth on Friday Night.

Gnarla Boodja Mili Mili (Our Country on Paper) features 17 panels celebrating the Aboriginal names and cultural significance of 31 sites throughout the Perth CBD and surrounds.

Also on display are early portraits of Noongar people, a historical dictionary of Noongar words, artworks by Indigenous artists Christopher Pease and Bradley Kickett, and a scale model of colonial Perth.

The exhibition includes a scale model of colonial Perth. Photo by Hannah Cross.

Reece Harley is the curator of the exhibition, which was built around the digital map launched by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) Aboriginal History WA Unit in September last year.

According to Harley, the Museum of Perth wanted to showcase the city's Indigenous history for many years.

"When the Museum of Perth was founded, we were always very keen to do an exhibition on Aboriginal history, but we didn't want to do it poorly, and at that time, in those early years, we didn't really have a lot of money," he said.

After meeting with the Aboriginal History Unit, Harley saw the potential to turn the digital map into a portable exhibition that could be loaned out to schools, local governments and not-for-profit organisations.

"Once I was familiar with this research work that had already been done by the Aboriginal history unit, I realised that a partnership model would allow us to develop and produce this exhibition where we could rely on the research work that had already been done over many, many years," Harley said.

The exhibition aligns with the online map released last year. Photo by Hannah Cross.

In a pre-recorded speech played on the opening night, Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt called the map the first of its kind.

"I think it's a first in Australia. Certainly, from my perspective and traveling around the country, I've not seen anything so unique like this," Minister Wyatt said.

"I know that people have described the map as hair-raising ... to see the combination of contemporary Perth, as we now know, overlaid by history that is 60,000 years old."

Officially launching the exhibition, WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt said the exhibition demonstrated a strengthening desire among Australians to hear more about Aboriginal culture.

"One of the things that have become incredibly apparent over the last ten years is this incredible interest in the history of the country on which we move and live, in a way that—certainly when I was going through school—was just not a part of life," he said.

According to Minister Ben Wyatt, the destruction of Juukan Gorge had pushed the issue of Aboriginal heritage into the mainstream consciousness in a new way and provided a "visual understanding" of the long-term impact of loss of culture and Country.

"Never before have I had to explain the heritage regime of Western Australia to the media of the globe," he said.

WA Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Ben Wyatt, officially opening the exhibition. Photo by Hannah Cross.

Historian Richard Offen said the exhibition shows the continuum of Perth's history.

"To combine looking at the city as it is today with the place as it was known to those Whadjuk Noongar people, I think is just a fantastic amalgamation," Offen said.

Gnarla Boodja Mili Mili will be displayed at the Museum of Perth until early 2021, before going on tour throughout metropolitan Perth.

By Sarah Smit