Australian Museum facts for kids

"Colonial Museum" redirects here. For New Zealand's Colonial Museum, see Dominion Museum building.

This page is about the museum in Sydney. For the museum in Canberra, see National Museum of Australia.

Quick facts for kids
Australian Museum
Building details

The William Street exterior and Crystal Hall entry to the Australian Museum in 2016
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Former name	Colonial Museum; Sydney Museum
Established	1827; 198 years ago (1827)
Location	1 William Street, Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia ()
Type	Natural history and anthropology
Public transit access	Museum (5 minute walk) William St near College Cr William St before College Cr
General information
Architectural style	Greek Revival International Style
Construction started	1846
Completed	1857
Technical details
Material	Sydney sandstone
Design and construction
Architect	Mortimer Lewis James Barnet Joseph van der Steen Edward Farmer
Architecture firm	New South Wales Colonial Architect

New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Australian Museum
Type:	State heritage (built)
Designated:	2 April 1999
Reference #:	805
Type:	Other – Education
Category:	Education

The Australian Museum is a famous museum located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's the oldest museum in Australia and one of the oldest natural history museums in the world! It's known for its amazing collections of animals, fossils, minerals, and objects from different cultures.

The museum also does important research, especially in natural history and anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures). It helps us learn about Australia's unique plants, animals, and the history of its people. The museum is located at 1 William Street, in the heart of Sydney. It was first called the Colonial Museum or Sydney Museum before its name was changed in 1836.

Starting the Museum
The Museum Building
Museum Leaders
- Curators and Directors
Museum History Highlights
Exhibitions and Galleries
- Permanent Galleries
- Other Cool Exhibitions
Heritage Listing
Images for kids
See also

Starting the Museum

The idea for a museum began in 1821 with a group called the Philosophical Society of Australasia. They started collecting items, but the group didn't last long.

Then, in 1826, a scientist named Alexander Macleay arrived in Australia. He became the Colonial Secretary and pushed for a public museum. In 1827, Earl Bathurst, a government official in England, agreed to fund the museum. He gave money each year to help it run.

In 1832, George Bennett, who was a curator at the museum, explained its purpose. He said it was a place to keep "lasting memorials" of past cultures and nature. Since then, the museum has grown from a small collection to over 21 million objects! It also does important research on coral reefs at its Lizard Island research station.

The Museum Building

The Australian Museum building is very old and has changed a lot over time. It shows different styles of architecture. As the museum's collections grew, so did the building!

The museum first opened in 1827, but it moved around Sydney for about 30 years. In 1849, it found its permanent home. The oldest part of the building, called the Long Gallery, was designed by Mortimer Lewis around 1846. It's a beautiful building made of Sydney sandstone.

In 1857, the museum officially opened to the public. Later, in 1868, James Barnet designed a new section along William Street to hold more collections. In 1890, a third floor was added to the original building, making the whole design look more complete.

In 1963, the museum almost doubled in size! A six-story extension was added for scientific collections, the library, and a restaurant. This new part was called the Parkes/Farmer eastern wing. In 1977, for the museum's 150th birthday, the words "The Australian Museum" were added to the front.

More recently, in 2015, a new glass entrance called the "Crystal Hall" was opened. It made the entrance more welcoming and modern. In 2020, the museum had a big upgrade costing $57.5 million. It was closed for 15 months and reopened with free entry for everyone! This upgrade created new spaces like the Hintze Hall, a shop, and bigger exhibition areas.

Hyde Park with the Museum under construction in the distance by John Rae (1842).
The completed Barnet wing of the museum c. 1870.
The Barnet Wing.
The Australian Museum along William Street.
The Australian Museum, College Street, Sydney.
The Australian Museum; main facade.

Museum Leaders

For many years, the museum was run by the government. In 1836, a special committee was set up to oversee it. Later, in 1853, the government created a board of trustees with 24 members to manage the museum.

Curators and Directors

The person in charge of the museum was first called a "curator." In 1918, the title changed to "director and curator," and then simply "director" in 1921. The scientists who worked at the museum were called "scientific assistants," then "curators," and now "collection managers."

Here are some of the people who have led the Australian Museum:

Order	Officeholder	Position title	Start date	End date	Term in office	Notes
1	William Holmes	Custodian	16 June 1829 (1829-06-16)	1835	5–6 years	Holmes sadly died while collecting specimens.
2	George Bennett	Curator	1835	1841	5–6 years	Bennett was the first to organize the museum's collections.
3	The Revd W. B. Clarke		1841	1843	1–2 years
4	William Sheridan Wall		1845	1858	12–13 years	He was a long-time collector for the Museum.
6	Simon Rood Pittard		1861	1861	1–2 years
7	Gerard Krefft		1861	1874	12–13 years
8	Edward Pierson Ramsay		1874	1894	19–20 years	Ramsay hired many more scientists. He also started the Records of the Australian Museum, a science publication.
9	Robert Etheridge, Junior	1895	1918	23–24 years
9	Robert Etheridge, Junior	Director and Curator	1918	23–24 years	1919
10	Charles Anderson	Director	1921	1940	18–19 years
11	Arthur Bache Walkom		1941	1954	12–13 years
12	John William Evans		1954	1966	11–12 years	He oversaw many new buildings and gallery updates.
13	Frank Talbot		1966	1975	8–9 years
14	Desmond Griffin		1976	1998	21–22 years
15	Michael Archer		1999	2004	4–5 years
16	Frank Howarth		2004	2014	9–10 years
17	Kim McKay AO		2014	present	10–11 years	Kim McKay is the first woman to be the director.

Museum History Highlights

20th Century Discoveries

After a lot of field trips in the late 1800s, scientists from the museum went on new expeditions in the 1920s. They explored places like New Guinea, the Kermadec Islands, and parts of Australia.

In the past, museum displays were often just big cases full of specimens. But in the 1920s, the museum started creating dioramas. These showed animals in their natural habitats, making the displays more exciting.

The museum also started a new department in 1968 to study the environment. In 1973, the Lizard Island Research Station was set up near Cairns. This station is important for studying coral reefs.

The Australian Museum Train was a cool project launched in 1978. It was a two-carriage train filled with exhibits that traveled around New South Wales. It brought the wonders of nature and evolution to school children and people in regional areas.

21st Century Innovations

In 2001, the museum helped create two smaller museums in rural areas. These are The Age of Fishes Museum in Canowindra and the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum in Bathurst.

In 2011, the museum launched its first Mobile App called "DangerOZ." It teaches people about Australia's most dangerous animals.

Jurassic Lounge started in 2011 as a special after-hours event. It combined live music, art, and cultural displays with the museum's exhibits. It was a fun way for people to experience the museum in a new light.

In 2017, a new species of semi-slug was named Attenborougharion rubicundus. It was named after the museum's patron, David Attenborough.

Australian Museum Research Institute

In 2013, the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI) was created. This institute helps bring together all the researchers working at the museum. It also helps them work with other research groups, universities, and zoos. AMRI focuses on important topics like how climate change affects animals and plants, and how to protect biodiversity.

FrogID

In 2017, the museum started a citizen science project called FrogID. People can use an app to record frog calls. This helps scientists track frog populations across Australia and learn how to protect them.

Exhibitions and Galleries

The Australian Museum has hosted many different exhibitions over the years. These include permanent displays, temporary shows, and traveling exhibitions. Some popular ones have been "Dinosaurs from China" and "Wildlife Photographer of the Year." The museum has also created its own exhibitions, like "Sharks" and "Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family," which have traveled to other countries.

Permanent Galleries

In 2008, two permanent galleries opened: "Dinosaurs" and "Surviving Australia."
"Garrigarrang: Sea Country" opened in 2014. It shows objects related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
When the Crystal Hall opened in 2015, the old entrance area became "Wild Planet." This gallery has over 400 animals and explains evolution and the "tree of life."
In 2017, the "Westpac Long Gallery" reopened as "200 Treasures of the Australian Museum." It displays amazing objects like a sled from an Antarctica expedition, an Egyptian mummy, and a feathered cape given to Captain James Cook.
A new minerals gallery opened in 2022.
In late 2023, "Wansolmoana" (meaning "One Salt Ocean") opened. This permanent exhibition features hundreds of cultural objects from the Pacific region.

Other Cool Exhibitions

In 2012, Sydney Elders showed photos by Mervyn Bishop of important Aboriginal Elders. These Elders have made big contributions to culture, education, and social justice.
In 2012–13, "Alexander the Great: 2000 years of treasures" displayed ancient artifacts from Russia.
"Aztecs" in 2014-15 was the first Aztec exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere. It featured 200 objects from Mexican museums.
"Trailblazers: Australia's 50 greatest explorers" opened in 2015. It honored famous explorers like Nancy Bird Walton and Jessica Watson.
In 2021, "Unsettled" opened. This exhibition looked at the colonisation of Australia from Indigenous perspectives.
In late 2023, the museum hosted "Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs." Sydney was only the second city outside Egypt to display Ramses' coffin!

Heritage Listing

The Australian Museum buildings are very important to Australia's history. They house the first public museum in the country and are one of its oldest scientific and cultural places. The museum has grown and changed over time, showing how people's views on science and research have evolved.

The different parts of the museum building show various architectural styles from the 19th century to today. They also show how building technology and materials have changed. Many parts of the older buildings are still in great condition. The museum's galleries from the 1800s and early 1900s are especially important.

The museum complex is a major landmark in Sydney. It stands proudly on William and College Streets, overlooking Hyde Park. The Australian Museum was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, recognizing its special historical value.