The South Australian Museum is a museum in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1856.[1] It occupies a complex of buildings on North Terrace in the cultural precinct of Adelaide's North Parklands.
The South Australian Institute, incorporating a public library and a museum, was established in the rented premises of the Library and Mechanics Institute in King William Street whilst waiting construction of the Institute building on the corner of North Terrace and Kintore Avenue.[2] Frederick George Waterhouse offered his services as curator of the South Australian Institute Museum in June 1859 in an honorary capacity. When the Institute building was completed, the Board appointed him as the first curator, a position he held until his retirement in February 1882. He was succeeded by Wilhelm Haacke, who in January 1883 recommended the South Australian Institute Museum be renamed the South Australian Museum, and the position of Curator be changed to Director. Wilhelm was appointed the first of eleven Directors of the South Australian Institute Museum.[3]
In 1939, Haacke’s recommendation was finally realised; legislation was passed that gave the South Australian Museum autonomy from the Art Gallery and Library, and the South Australian Institute Museum was officially renamed the South Australian Museum.[3] The current Director, appointed in April 2007, is Dr Suzanne Miller.[4]
The museum contains the largest collection of Indigenous Australian artefacts in the world.[3]
Other notable exhibits include:
- The main mass of the Huckitta meteorite of about 1400 kg
- Major Peter Badcoe's Victoria Cross and other medals
- work-in-progress:
- Mawson and the Antarctic
- Egyptian collection and mummies
- South-west Pacific and South Sea Islands
- Native birds, animals and reptiles
- Marine creatures
- etc.
References and notes
- ^ A Brief History, SA Museum website.
- ^ The Institute building was officially opened on 29 January 1861 and is still in use as part of the State Library of South Australia.
- ^ a b c A Potted History, South Australian Museum, 2004. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.
- ^ Dr Suzanne Miller, SA Museum website.
External links
- South Australian Museum is at 34°55′15″S 138°36′11″E / 34.920783°S 138.603017°ECoordinates: 34°55′15″S 138°36′11″E / 34.920783°S 138.603017°E
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
