Redland Museum facts for kids
The Redlands Coast Museum's exterior, viewed from the Cleveland Showgrounds, with the blacksmith shop on the left.
|
|
| Established | 1968 |
|---|---|
| Location | 60 Smith Street, Cleveland, Redland City, Queensland, Australia |
| Type | Local museum, toy museum |
| Collection size | 20,000 |
| Founder | Norman Dean |
| Public transit access | Smith St at Cleveland Showground |
The Redlands Coast Museum is a fantastic place in Cleveland, Queensland, Australia. It used to be called the Redland Museum. This museum is all about the history of the Redlands area. It collects and keeps items that show how people lived and what happened there, right up to today.
The museum has nearly 20,000 items! These items are either on display or kept safely in storage. The museum sees itself as a special and exciting place in Queensland. Besides its main building in Cleveland, it also has a library for history research. There's even a working blacksmith's shop next door. A small part of the museum is also found on nearby Russell Island.
Contents
Museum History
The Redlands Coast Museum started as a project by the Rotary Club of Cleveland. This was back in 1968. The first part of the museum building was finished and opened to the public in 1970. It was soon given to the people of the Redlands area.
Over time, the museum collected more and more items. It became very popular, mostly thanks to many local volunteers. The museum quickly grew too big for its first building. Because of this, big expansions were added after 2009. These new parts allowed many more items to be shown to visitors.
What's in the Collection?
Most of the museum's collection comes from gifts by local people. Volunteers at the museum carefully sort and list every item. The things you see mostly show the Redlands' history from the time of early settlers. They also show the area's farming past. This is because the region was very important for farming and fishing. Some items, however, came from other parts of South East Queensland.
Here are some of the most popular items you can see:
- A restored Ford Model TT truck. A farmer from Mount Cotton first bought it. A local coachbuilder made its wooden frame.
- A working player piano. This is a piano that can play itself!
- An original Halladay windpump. This was used on a farm in Cleveland to pump water.
- An 1860s wedding gown. Someone wore this dress at a wedding in Toowoomba.
- A machine that made pills by hand. It was used in a nearby pharmacy.
- A large patchwork quilt. This quilt shows the many different cultures in the Redlands area.
Displays and Exhibitions
The museum has many displays that are always there. These permanent displays show different things. For example, you can see farm equipment in the Dan Holzapfel Farm Pavilion. There are also displays about post office items, bedroom furniture, dolls, and different fabrics. Other displays show important local history items and stories in Stories of the Redlands.
The museum also has new exhibitions that change often. In the past, there have been exhibits about writing, including a very old 1716 King James Bible. Other past highlights include displays of mannequins, bicycles, and wall-sized murals. There have also been art displays that mix different cultures, and exhibitions about Queensland history and Australian Aboriginal culture.
Australian Toy Hall of Fame
The Australian Toy Hall of Fame is a special part of the museum. It celebrates toys that have been famous and loved in Australia throughout history. Toys are chosen based on how popular they were, how long they lasted, and how well people remember them.
Some toys already in the Hall of Fame include Lego, marbles, slingshots, toy cars, and teddy bears. This display also has a fun play area where children can interact with toys.
