Earliest construction on the site dates back to the 1850s, when a portion of the site was designated for use as a gaol and police quarters.
Most development of the area occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century, when the former Perth Boys School was built. (This building now houses the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts.) Further developments came in the following years, with the construction of Hacket Hall, the former Art Gallery Building, the former Perth Courts, and the former Police Quarters.
In the years after the completion of the Perth Cultural Centre, the underused space gained a reputation for being isolated and unsafe, and sparked an initiative to redevelop and "revive" the area.[5][6] Tasked with such an initiative, in 2008, the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority and the Department of Culture and the Arts, spent approximately $35 million on redevelopment efforts, including the creation of the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia, an "urban orchard", and a continuous roster of public cultural events.[7]
Rejuvenation project
From 6 January 2025, the Perth Cultural Centre has undergone a "rejuvenation", aimed to make the space more "a more welcoming public space for families, tourists, and lovers of arts and culture".[8][9][needs update]
