Berndt Museum of Anthropology facts for kids

The Berndt Museum of Anthropology is a special museum in Perth, Western Australia. It was started in 1976 by two important researchers, Ronald Berndt and Catherine Berndt. Today, you can find it at the University of Western Australia (UWA) campus.

This museum holds an amazing collection of about 12,000 objects and 35,000 photographs. It has one of the best collections of Indigenous Australian art and cultural items in the world. These items show the history and culture of Aboriginal Australians from many different areas. The museum also has large collections from Asia and Papua New Guinea.

Discovering the Museum's Past

The Berndt Museum at the University of Western Australia has one of Australia's most important collections. It includes Aboriginal art, objects, old documents, films, sounds, and photos. This collection is known around the world. It is especially valuable to Aboriginal people and their communities. The museum's items come from many places, not just Australia. They also include items from Melanesia and Southeast Asia. Some even come from China, India, Japan, and Egypt.

The museum was created by Ronald and Catherine Berndt. They came to Perth in 1956 to teach about anthropology at UWA. Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures. They brought with them many items they had collected during their research trips. These trips were to different parts of Australia and Papua New Guinea.

In 1976, they officially gave their collection to the university. The university then opened the Anthropology Research Museum to keep these items safe. The museum officially opened its doors on February 22, 1979. It showed collections from places like Arnhem Land, the Kimberley, and the Western Desert.

In 1992, the museum was renamed the Berndt Museum of Anthropology. This was done to honor Ronald and Catherine for their great work. After Catherine passed away in 1994, she left more of their private collections to the museum. This included a big Asian collection and their research notebooks.

Amazing Collections to Explore

The Berndt Museum has many collections that are important to Australia. It holds over 11,500 items, 35,000 photographs, films, sounds, and many old documents. It is seen as one of the most important collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture globally. The museum also has items from Asia and Melanesia. These collections make it interesting for people from all over the world.

A Long History of Collecting

The museum has been collecting items for about 60 years. Some of the items are over 100 years old. Researchers from Australia and other countries continue to add to the collections. These collections help people learn about different cultures. They also encourage talks about identity, heritage, and history.

Yirrkala Drawings: A World Treasure

The Yirrkala Drawings are a very special part of the collection. They were first gathered by Catherine and Ronald Berndt. They worked with the Yolngu Community in 1946 and 1947. At that time, it was hard to keep traditional bark paintings safe. So, the Yolngu artists used brown paper and crayons instead.

Many Yolngu artists created these colorful crayon drawings. They were inspired by designs from their land and culture. Famous artists like Mawalan and Wandjuk Marika made some of these drawings. There are 365 of these works in the Berndt Museum. In 2009, the Yirrkala Drawings Collection was added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. This means it is recognized as a very important part of human history.

Photographic Memories

The Berndt Photographic Material Collection has many old photos and digital images. These photos come from different places and show many different things. Researchers use these photos a lot. But they are especially important to Aboriginal community members. They help them connect with their families, places, and culture.

Bringing Photos Home Project

The Berndt Museum helps people access photos from a project called 'Returning Photos: Australian Aboriginal Photographs in European Collections'. This project found and shared information about old photos of Aboriginal people. These photos were kept in four museums in Europe. The project helps Aboriginal communities see these important historical images.

Important Archives

The Berndt Museum Archive has many different collections of old documents. These documents share knowledge about Australian Aboriginal culture, laws, and history. They also show how people lived and interacted in the past.

Exciting Exhibitions

The Berndt Museum of Anthropology usually holds two big exhibitions each year. They also have public events related to these shows. The exhibitions change regularly and are held in the Janet Holmes à Court Gallery.

Past Exhibitions

• Out of the boxes and into the Desert (July 13 – December 7, 2019): This show featured paintings from the Central Desert. It allowed people to see artworks that had been stored away for many years.
• Carrolup Revisited: A Journey through the South West of Western Australia (February 9 – June 29, 2019): This exhibition celebrated artists from the famous Carrolup School of Art.
• Stockyards and Saddles: A story of Gibb River Station (July 21 – December 8, 2018): This show explored the lives of people who lived and worked on Gibb River Station. This was a remote cattle station in the East Kimberley region.
• In Light of Shadows (February 10 – July 7, 2018): This exhibition focused on the museum's Asian Collection. It encouraged visitors to think about light and darkness in different cultures.
• Milingimbi: A Living Culture (July 28 – December 16, 2017): This show featured artworks from Milingimbi Island in north-east Arnhem Land.
• Works of Art from Warburton (February 11 – July 1, 2017): This exhibition brought artworks from the Ngaanyatjarra community's own collection to Perth.

Related Publications

• Friends of the Berndt Museum of Anthropology (1993). Newsletter University of Western Australia, Friends of the Berndt Museum of Anthropology, Nedlands, W.A
• Berndt Museum of Anthropology 1997, Berndt news : newsletter of the Berndt Museum of Anthropology University of Western Australia, Berndt Museum of Anthropology, Nedlands, W.A