Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery facts for kids
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| Established | 1843 |
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| Location | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Visitors | 400,000 |
| Place ID: | 6,648 |
| Status: | Permanently Registered |
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is a cool place in Hobart, Tasmania, where you can explore history, art, and nature! It's often called TMAG for short. This museum first opened its doors in 1846. It was started by the Royal Society of Tasmania, which is the oldest "Royal Society" group outside of England.
Every year, about 400,000 people visit TMAG to see its amazing collections.
Contents
A Look Back: TMAG's History
The museum officially began in 1848, but the collections it held were much older. It brought together many different collections from various groups. Before this, several groups like the Mechanics' Institution of Hobart tried to start museums. The Mechanics' Institution was the most successful, but not much is known about what happened to their early efforts.
How the Museum Started
Sir John Eardley-Wilmot, 1st Baronet, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Tasmania, did a lot of work to create the modern museum. The Royal Society of Tasmania first mentioned the museum as an official place in their notes from 1848. However, Wilmot had started most of the work in 1843. He even tried to set up a museum in a small house in what is now the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.
In 1838, the Mechanics' Institution got permission from the government to build a room for a museum in the Customs House. This building later became Parliament House, Hobart. The Royal Society of Tasmania then started TMAG in a room within the Parliament building, possibly the same one.
Finding a Permanent Home
In 1852, the museum moved to Harrington Street, where it rented a hall. In 1853, the governor asked the Legislative Council to consider giving land for a permanent museum building. By 1854, more than 1,000 people visited the museum in one year for the first time!
In 1855, the Lady Franklin Gallery, which was another museum, sold its items and collections to the Royal Society. These were added to TMAG. This was helped by a large collection of rocks and minerals donated by Joseph Milligan.
Building the Museum We See Today
In 1861, after several years, the government gave money to build a museum at the corner of Argyle and Macquarie Streets. The Royal Society held a competition to find the best design. Henry Hunter won and was chosen to design the new building. Henry Young, who was the Governor of Tasmania, laid the first stone that year.
The museum building was finished by 1862. To celebrate, an art show was held by Morton Allport, Henry Hunter, and Captain F. E. Chesney. The goal of the art show was to raise money for things inside the building, as the government's money only covered building the structure itself. In 1884, Alexander Morton became the curator, which is like the manager, of the museum. He had worked at the Australian Museum before.
Becoming a Government Museum
In 1885, the museum moved from being run by the Royal Society of Tasmania to being managed by a group of trustees under the state government. It also received money from the government each year. Until this time, it was officially called "The Royal Society's Museum." The Royal Society also gave the Royal Botanical Gardens to the state government at the same time. From that year on, they were known as the Tasmanian Museum and Botanical Gardens. Adye Douglas, who was the Premier of Tasmania, became the head of the board, and Alexander Morton continued as curator.
In 1889, a new part of the museum was opened by R Hamilton. Since then, the museum has grown to use all the buildings in its block. This includes the old Commissariat Store from 1810 and the Customs House from 1902.
In 1952, the groups managing the Botanical Gardens and the Museum became separate. That's when the museum got its modern name, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. This change was made official by a law passed in Parliament.
How TMAG is Managed
Since 1885, TMAG has been a government organization. It is managed by a group of trustees. Today, it is part of the Department of State Growth, which is a government department in Tasmania.
Groups That Help TMAG
TMAG works with several other groups. The Foundation of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery helps raise money for the museum. The Friends of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery encourages people to get involved with the museum. There's even a group for younger people called TMAGgots! The Royal Society of Tasmania, which started the museum, gave many of its collections to TMAG and still lends many important items.
Other Places TMAG Uses
Besides its main location, TMAG has three other sites. These include a place for plant collections (a herbarium), a storage and research building, and a workshop in Moonah.
The State Collection
The museum and art gallery closed for four months for improvements and reopened to the public on March 15, 2013. These changes made the museum even better for visitors!
See also
