Earth Exchange, Sydney facts for kids
| Former name | Geological and Mining Museum |
|---|---|
| Established | 1909-1995 |
| Type | Museum |
The Earth Exchange was a museum in Sydney, Australia, that taught visitors about minerals, rocks, and mining. It was located in a historic area called The Rocks. Before it was called the Earth Exchange, it had other names like the Geological and Mining Museum. The building and its collection are important parts of the state's history.
Contents
History of the Earth Exchange
The museum operated from 1909 until 1995. It started as the Sydney Geological and Mining Museum. The building where it was located was first designed in 1900. It was meant to be an Electric Light Power Station. However, it was never used for that purpose.
In 1908, the building was redesigned to become a mining museum. The original plans were for a six-storey building. Three more storeys were added to the design. This new plan was approved by the government.
The museum was a public resource for many years. In 1991, it changed its name to The Earth Exchange. This change happened with support from mining companies and the NSW Government. It was one of the first museums in Sydney to have "visitor experiences." These included interactive displays like a simulated earthquake and exhibits about underground mining.
However, The Earth Exchange closed in 1995. This happened when the government stopped its yearly funding. The museum's collection was then moved to other public museums, like the Australian Museum. After closing, the building was used by different arts groups.
Building Design
The building was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon. He was the first government architect for New South Wales. His first plans for the building had six floors. But the government decided to build only one floor at first.
Later, in 1908, Vernon resubmitted his plans for the new museum. He added three more floors to his original design. The building's style matched the nearby wool stores. It featured red brick with sandstone details and gabled roofs.
Becoming The Earth Exchange
The Geological and Mining Museum first opened in 1886. It was part of the NSW Geological Survey. Its collection included many fossils, rocks, and minerals. There were about 20,777 items in total.
The museum was open to everyone and was a great place for learning. Over 100,000 students visited each year. Many people also visited during school holidays. Plans to update the museum began in 1984. The goal was to reopen it for the Australian Bicentenary in 1988.
The refurbished museum finally opened in 1991. It was rebranded as The Earth Exchange. It had a new board of trustees, including people from business and mining.
The Earth Exchange was different from the old museum. It operated more like a business, not just a government department. It also focused on making visits fun and entertaining. This was a new idea for museums at the time. It had to compete with many other new museums for visitors. The Earth Exchange also charged a higher entry fee than most other museums.
Collections and Visitor Fun
The Earth Exchange had a wonderful collection of items. It inherited many pieces from the old museum. It also acquired a very special collection of minerals. These were displayed on the fifth floor.
The museum also created exciting interactive displays. Visitors could experience what an earthquake felt like. They could also explore what it was like to be in an underground mine. These interactive exhibits were expensive to build and maintain. Sometimes they had technical problems, which could disappoint visitors. A survey in 1992 showed that most visitors came for these fun, interactive parts.
The building itself was a bit tricky to move around in. It was originally designed as a power station, so it was tall and narrow. This made it hard to create a smooth path for visitors.
See also
