Aussie museums compete in world dance-off

Several of Australia's top museums have shown they can cut it on the dance floor in an online dance-off competition between institutions around the world.

Video entries submitted to popular blog whenyouworkatamuseum.com. show curators shimmying through exhibits and offices and pulling off some interesting choreography.

The National Portrait Gallery in Canberra on Friday called on local patrons to support its entry in this year's competition.

The dance, set to Kylie Minogue's song, Can't Get You Out of My Head, features its gallery director and staff freestyling among the artworks while wearing masks of actor Hugh Jackman on their faces.

The army of Hughs execute robot moves, slides, kicks and twists in the slick video.

"We are looking for all the support we can muster to propel the Portrait Gallery through round one and into the next phase of the competition," the museum said.

"Our entry in 2014 received over 20,000 votes and has been viewed close to 25,000 times. But, it wasn't our year to take home the trophy.

"This year, with your help, we will prevail."

They're up against some stiff competition from their Victorian colleagues at Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, however, who have staged a number to the catchy beats of Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk.

The video shows the white-gloved museum stuff shuffle their way through can-can kicks and the macarena.

Victoria Museum has already won its group's round with a dazzling group performance that upstaged three US museums.

Sydney's Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences put up a clip with psychedelic stylings but failed to score past the first round.