Macleay Museum facts for kids
Edgeworth David Building that houses the Macleay Museum
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| Former name | Museum of Antiquities |
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| Established | 1887 |
| Dissolved | 22 November 2016 |
| Location | Science Road, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia |
| Type | Natural history museum |
| Collections |
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| Collection size | 79,000+ |
| Founder |
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| Architect | George Allen Mansfield |
| Owner | The University of Sydney |
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Invalid designation
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| Official name | Macleay Museum; Macleay Museum Building, University of Sydney Including Interior |
| Type | Local government heritage (built) |
| Criteria | a., c., d., e., f. |
| Designated | 14 December 2012 |
| Reference no. | I79 |
| Type | Education |
| Category | University |
The Macleay Museum was once a special natural history museum at The University of Sydney. It was located on the university's Camperdown campus in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The museum closed its doors in 2016. Its amazing collections became part of the new Chau Chak Wing Museum when it opened in 2020. This means you can still see many of its treasures today! The Macleay Museum building itself is also important. It was added to a special heritage list in 2012, recognizing its historical value.
Contents
A Look Back at the Macleay Museum
The building that housed the Macleay Museum is called the Edgeworth David building. It was built way back in 1887. The museum's collections grew thanks to the efforts of the Macleay family. They were a very important family in early Sydney.
The Macleay Family's Contributions
Three key members of the Macleay family helped build these collections. They were Alexander Macleay, William Sharp Macleay, and William John Macleay. They loved collecting things from nature and different cultures. A zoologist named George Masters also played a big role. He worked as the museum's curator until 1912, helping to organize and care for the collections.
What the Museum Collected
The Macleay Museum was famous for its unique collections. These collections are now part of the Sydney University Museums. They include many interesting items.
Amazing Natural History Items
The museum had a strong focus on entomology, which is the study of insects. It also had many scientific instruments. Some of the biological specimens were very special. They included examples of rare or even extinct animals. Imagine seeing something that no longer exists in the world!
Treasures from Explorers
Some items in the collection have great historical value. They were collected by famous explorers. For example, some specimens were gathered by Charles Darwin. He was the scientist who developed the theory of evolution. Others were collected by Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay, another famous explorer.
Exploring Cultures and History
The museum also had a large ethnography collection. This means it had items from different cultures around the world. It also housed many old photographs. These pictures show what life was like in Australia long ago. The Macleay Museum had one of Australia's most important natural history and cultural collections. Only the Australian Museum in Sydney had more.
Gallery
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Inside the Macleay Museum, showing some of its exhibits.
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A display case with various natural history specimens.
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Another view of the museum's interesting exhibits.
See also
