Earth Exchange, Sydney facts for kids

The Earth Exchange was a museum in Sydney, Australia. It was all about minerals, rocks, and mining. Located in a historic area called The Rocks, this museum had a few different names over the years. Before it became the Earth Exchange (from 1988 to 1995), it was known as the Geological and Mining Museum. The building and its amazing collection are very important to the state's history.

Discovering the Museum's Past

The museum operated at 36-64 George Street from 1909 to 1995. The Earth Exchange was a new version of the old Sydney Geological and Mining Museum. It was supported by the New South Wales Department of Mineral Resources.

The Building's First Life

The building itself has an interesting story. It was first designed in 1900 by Walter Liberty Vernon. He was the first government architect for New South Wales. His original plan was for it to be an Electric Light Power Station. This power station was meant to help redevelop the area. However, the demand for electricity grew too fast. The power station couldn't keep up, so the building was never used for its first purpose.

From Power Station to Museum

In 1908, Vernon was asked to change his plans. The government wanted to turn the building into a mining museum and chemical laboratory. He took his original plans for a six-storey building. Then he added three more storeys to them. The government liked his new design, and the museum was built.

A New Chapter: The Earth Exchange

This public museum continued to operate until 1991. Around this time, the government started to change some public services into private businesses. So, the Sydney Geological and Mining Museum became The Earth Exchange. It received a lot of support from mining companies and the NSW Government.

The Earth Exchange was one of the first museums in Sydney to offer "visitor experiences." This meant using technology to make visits more interactive. For example, it had a simulated earthquake section. It also showed what underground mining was like.

Why the Museum Closed

Sadly, The Earth Exchange closed in 1995. The State Government stopped its yearly funding for the museum's running costs. After it closed, its collection was sent to other public museums. A large part of it went to the Australian Museum. The building was later used by different arts groups.

How the Building Was Designed

The building was designed by the first government architect, Walter Liberty Vernon. Vernon's first plans were for a six-storey building. But the government decided to build only one storey at first. In 1908, he re-submitted his original plans for the new museum. He added three more storeys to the design.

His updated designs matched the nearby Federation style wool stores. Vernon used sandstone details within the red brickwork. He also included gabled roofs, which are roofs with two sloping sides that form a ridge.

Becoming The Earth Exchange

The Geological and Mining Museum started in 1886. It was part of the NSW Geological Survey. Its collection mainly included fossils, rocks, and minerals. Many of these specimens stayed with the Department of Mineral Resources. The museum had a huge collection of about 20,777 items.

A Museum for Everyone

The museum was open to the public. It also served as an educational place. More than 100,000 students visited each year. The busiest times for public visits were during school holidays.

Plans to update the museum began in 1984. This was to get ready for the Bicentennial celebrations in 1988. The refurbished museum finally opened in 1991. It was rebranded as The Earth Exchange. A new board of trustees was formed, including people from business and mining.

Changes and Challenges

The Earth Exchange was different from the old Geological and Mining Museum in a few ways. First, it operated more like a business. It was not fully run by a government department anymore. Second, its new management board had fewer people from arts or culture backgrounds.

The Earth Exchange, like other museums in NSW, relied on government support. It also needed ongoing sponsorship from the mining industry. The mining industry and government put about $23 million into this project. Even so, it was still expected to offer educational services. It also had to develop and care for its collections.

A bit of a disagreement happened between The Earth Exchange and the Australian Museum. This was when The Earth Exchange successfully acquired the amazing Albert Chapman minerals collection. This collection was considered world-class.

The new director of The Earth Exchange believed in traditional museum services. But they also thought that entertainment was important for visitors. This was a new idea for museums at the time. The Earth Exchange tried to balance showing important scientific information with making visits fun. They wanted to show how important mining was to Australia's economy.

Competition and Entry Fees

When The Earth Exchange opened, many other new museums also started. This meant there was a lot of competition for visitors. The Earth Exchange hoped to attract many paying visitors. However, most other museums at the time offered free entry. Even when other museums started charging fees, The Earth Exchange's entry fee was often double that of its competitors.

Collections and Visitor Fun

The Earth Exchange had a large collection from its previous life. It also gained the very valuable Minerals Collection. This special collection was displayed on the fifth floor.

The Earth Exchange also added many interactive displays. These were meant to make visitors feel like they were part of the experience. For example, there were simulations of earthquakes. There were also exhibits that showed what it was like to be in an underground mine.

Challenges with Interactive Displays

These interactive attractions were expensive to create. They also often had technical problems. This sometimes disappointed visitors who had paid to see them. A survey in 1992 showed that 73% of visitors came specifically for the entertainment parts.

The building itself was also tricky to move around in. This was because it was originally designed as a power station. It was built to be tall, not wide like most museums. This made it hard for visitors to flow through the exhibits. The interactive displays were also costly to maintain. New exhibitions were not added very often.