Nicholson Museum facts for kids
Entrance to the Nicholson Museum in the University of Sydney Quadrangle
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| Former name | Museum of Antiquities |
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| Established | 1860 |
| Location | University of Sydney Quadrangle, Parramatta Road, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia |
| Type | Archaeological museum |
| Collections | |
| Collection size | 30,000+ |
| Founder | Sir Charles Nicholson |
| Owner | The University of Sydney |
The Nicholson Museum was an amazing place at the University of Sydney. It closed its doors in February 2020. This museum was home to the Nicholson Collection, which is the biggest collection of antiquities (very old objects) in Australia and the whole Southern Hemisphere!
But don't worry, these incredible ancient treasures are still available to see. They are now kept in the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, which opened in November 2020. The collection started way back in 1860 and includes items from ancient Egypt, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and the Near East. The museum used to be in the main quadrangle of the University.
Contents
A Journey Through Time
The Nicholson Museum was named after its founder, Sir Charles Nicholson. He was a very important person who loved ancient history. In 1856-57, Sir Charles traveled to Egypt and Italy. While there, he bought thousands of ancient objects. These included items from Egypt, Greece, South Italy, and the Etruscan people.
He then gave all these amazing objects to the University in 1860. This was the start of the museum's collection! Since then, the collection has grown a lot. Many people have donated items, and the museum has also bought new pieces. Sometimes, objects even came from archaeological digs (where experts carefully uncover old sites).
The museum used to have different areas for permanent and temporary displays. Some of the ongoing exhibitions included "Egyptians, Gods and Mummies: Travels with Herodotus" and "Aphrodite's Island: Australian Archaeologists in Cyprus." There were also displays about the Etruscans and the Near East.
Amazing Ancient Collections
The Nicholson Museum's permanent collections covered the entire ancient world. They had items from Greece, Italy, Egypt, Cyprus, the Near East, and even Northern Europe. These objects ranged from the Stone Age (Neolithic period) all the way to the Middle Ages (Medieval periods). The museum also had a large collection of old photographs. These were taken by a former curator, William J. Woodhouse.
Ancient Egypt: Mummies and More!
The ancient Egyptian collection at the Nicholson Museum was truly special. It included objects from famous ancient sites like Abydos, Alexandria, Bubastis, and Thebes. Many of these Egyptian items were part of Sir Charles Nicholson's first gift.
He bought many objects from dealers in Cairo and Luxor during his travels. He even collected some items directly from ancient sites. For example, he found a piece of a red granite stone at Karnak. It is thought to be from an obelisk (a tall, thin monument) belonging to Queen Hatshepsut!
Cyprus: An Island of History
The collection from Cyprus started with just one object in 1860. But it grew very quickly! Two curators, William Woodhouse and James Stewart, helped it expand a lot. Many items came directly from Stewart's own archaeological digs in Cyprus.
Because of these discoveries, the museum ended up with many complete "tomb groups." These are all the objects found together in an ancient tomb. They are very important for understanding how people lived and died long ago.
Ancient Greece: Gods and Heroes
The Greek collection at the Nicholson Museum showed the culture of ancient Greece. It had objects from the Bronze Age (a very early period) all the way to the Late Hellenistic period. Sir Charles Nicholson bought many Greek pottery pieces and small clay figures during his travels in Europe.
Later, another curator named A. D. Trendall helped the collection grow even more. He bought many different types of Greek pottery. He also got hundreds of pottery fragments for teaching purposes. These came from other museums and important scholars. The collection also grew thanks to a donation from the family of William J Woodhouse. He had collected many items during his trips to Greece.
Ancient Italy: Romans and Etruscans
The Italian collection at the Nicholson Museum showed the rich history of ancient Italy. It had important cultural objects from Etruria (where the Etruscans lived), South Italy, and the Roman world. From the very beginning, ancient Italian cultures were well represented in the museum.
Sir Charles Nicholson spent a lot of time in Rome. He collected Latin inscriptions (ancient writings), Etruscan burial urns, bronze objects, South Italian vases, and Roman lamps and figures. He also bought large statues, including two life-sized figures of Roman citizens wearing togas. Later, A.D. Trendall added many more South Italian vases to the collection.
Near East: Cradle of Civilisation
The Nicholson Museum's collection of Near Eastern objects represented many great cities and civilisations. These cultures thrived along the Levantine coast, across Mesopotamia, and even into parts of Pakistan and India. The Near Eastern collection started small, with just a few objects from Ur. These were given by the British Museum in 1926.
However, it grew a lot in the mid-20th century. Curators A.D. Trendall and James Stewart worked hard to get more items. They wrote to museums and governments around the world. They wanted to make sure the Nicholson Museum had objects that showed how diverse this huge region was.
The University of Sydney also helped pay for archaeological digs in the Near East. One famous dig was led by Dame Kathleen Kenyon at Jericho. In return for the University's support, the Nicholson Museum received many objects after each digging season. These included complete tomb groups from the Bronze Age and rare finds, like a Neolithic skull covered in plaster. Other items were given by archaeologists like Sir Leonard Woolley and Sir Flinders Petrie, as well as other museums and private donors.
Fun Temporary Exhibitions
LEGO Pompeii
One very popular temporary display at the Nicholson Museum was a modern model of Pompeii built entirely with LEGO bricks! A professional LEGO builder named Ryan McNaught created this amazing work. The display showed Pompeii at three different times:
- The moment the volcano erupted and destroyed the town.
- How it looked when it was rediscovered by archaeologists.
- How it looks today.
This exhibit was a great way to attract new visitors, especially younger people. It was also very helpful for students studying ancient history, as Pompeii is often part of their lessons. A lot of effort went into building it – about 470 hours! If you looked closely, you could even see a deep red glow from the back of the model. This glow hinted at the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed the town. This exhibit definitely brought many new people to the Nicholson Museum.
