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Out of all the anthropological/natural history museums I've been to this was by far the most respectful, I would suggest having a look at their way of exhibiting indigenous objects

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MOA is excited to announce a new online collection of nearly 3,000 images from the archives. This searchable collection features scanned infrared photographs of historical Indigenous Northwest Coast painted belongings, taken as part of MOA's Image Recovery Project.

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Welcome to the Museum of Anthropology, a place of world arts and cultures with a special emphasis on the First Nations peoples and other cultural communities of British Columbia, Canada.

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Our History - Treasures - Museums Victoria, 2004

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Our History - Treasures - Museums Victoria, 2004

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In Melbourne 1854, two small rooms were set aside in a government office for the purpose of accommodating specimens 'which may from time to time be forwarded to the intended museum of natural history'. One and a half centuries later, Museums Victoria is a multi-campus, multi-discipline institution, providing exhibitions and research, education and public programs, whilst continuing to care for the states heritage.

1854-1899: Early Days of the Museum
Museums Victoria has its origins in the Museum of Natural History, which opened on 9 March 1854 in the Government Assay Office in La Trobe Street, Melbourne. An independent colony since 1851, Victoria was experiencing a boom brought about by the gold rushes. The local regions of Melbourne and Geelong were occupied by a population of more than 80 000 people and nearly 6 million sheep. As the surrounding countryside was explored, the first collections of new and unusual geological and biological specimens began to take shape. The museum was transferred to more distinguished surroundings at the University of Melbourne in Parkville in 1856 and became formally known as the National Museum of Victoria. In 1858, Professor Frederick McCoy was appointed its director and the collections quickly burgeoned. McCoy sourced material both locally and overseas to help establish the priceless natural history collection at the museum. This led to his encyclopaedic works Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria and Prodromus of the Palaeontology of Victoria, which were attempts to describe the animal species found in the state. McCoy achieved remarkable coverage of Victoria's living and extinct fauna, and his systematic collection still forms an important basis for the museum's natural history holdings. The National Museum of Victoria continued to benefit from a wealth of local as well as international acquisitions. New items made their way into the collection with the rapid growth of mining and agricultural industries in Victoria during the later half of the 19th century. Another beneficiary of this period was the Industrial and Technological Museum, which had opened in 1870 in the Public Library building in Swanston Street. The collections of the both museums continued to develop in parallel until 1899, when it was decided to relocate the National Museum to the Public Library building also. Melbourne's citizens were presented with the spectacle of wagons loaded with glass cases, stuffed animals and other curiosities as over 510 000 items were carted across town.

1900-1999: 100 Years at Swanston Street
Melbourne's Age newspaper had long promoted the view that the rightful home for the National Museum of Victoria was the Public Library building in Swanston Street. Its relocation there for the start of a new century was greeted enthusiastically. Meanwhile, the Industrial and Technological Museum, which had been housed on the site since 1870, was consigned to the vaults. It would not be revived again until 1915. The National Museum's collections continued to grow steadily, and the institution took to collecting in anthropology as well as the natural sciences. The practices of purchase and donation were soon supplemented by a program of museum expeditions and fieldwork within Victoria and interstate. Professor Walter Baldwin Spencer, director of the National Museum from 1899 to 1928, was primarily a biologist, but also pursued an interest in anthropology. He carried out major expeditions to study Aboriginal communities in Central and northern Australia. Spencer built up a precious collection of Indigenous artefacts for the museum, along with supporting notes and photography, and motion picture and sound recordings. Over the years, important material from the geological, biological and ethnographic collections was exhibited in the various museum galleries, including the grand McCoy Hall. The revived Industrial and Technological Museum continued to grow, and eventually became the Science Museum of Victoria. In 1983, Melbourne's two big museums on the Swanston Street site, the National Museum of Victoria and the Science Museum of Victoria, amalgamated to form the Museum of Victoria (later to become Museum Victoria then Museums Victoria). For the first time, the state's natural history and technology and human history collections were managed in an integrated way, and under the one roof. Several new museum facilities were commissioned and completed during the 1990s. Scienceworks at Spotswood was opened in 1992, featuring the science and technology collections, and the Immigration Museum in Flinders Street opened in 1998. For the museum on Swanston Street, the collections were being packed in readiness for the move to another new home, for the start of another century.

2000 - 2004: Museums Victoria Today
In 2000, the flagship of Museums Victoria opened alongside the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens. An award-winning creation, Melbourne Museum is a colourful assemblage of buildings anchored within a 'super-grid' and flanked by enormous raked canopies. It sits in stark contrast to the grand Royal Exhibition Building with its domed Great Hall, designed by Joseph Reed for the 1880-81 Melbourne International Exhibition. The Immigration Museum, at the opposite end of town, is housed in the classical Old Customs House, dating from 1876 and designed by John James Clark. In the west, the Scienceworks complex includes the historic 19th-century Spotswood Pumping Station, the plans of which are attributed to Christian Kussmaul. This distinguished set of buildings comprises significant cultural heritage, which we manage with a similar level of care to that of our collection. Museums Victoria as we know it today has grown to a large and diverse organisation. Historically, it has always had a primary role as the Victorian state museum, collecting the state's natural and cultural heritage. It also continues to develop and manage a collection of national significance. The museum is always looking to acquire new material. The acquisition is not a random process but is guided by a sound collection policy, and expert advice from curators. Sometimes there is an element of luck, and we know straight away that we have obtained a valuable item. At other times, it might take years for the true value of a treasure to become apparent. In yet other areas we are creating new collections, such as a tissue bank representing Australian fauna. With the rapid development of the museum over the last 20 years, there have been major improvements in storage facilities for the collection. Previous perceptions of museums might have been of grimy and dusty specimens, reeking of mothballs and packed to the rafters in dark and musty vaults. This is a far cry from what we see today. Storage facilities are world class, and built to meet strict collection management and conservation standards. Our treasures are cared for both in and out of the public's gaze.

More Information

Keywords

social history, European Settlement of Australia, Aboriginal History, Aboriginal People, Aboriginal Issues, immigration, Gold Rushes, Royal Exhibition Building, World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945, Aboriginal peoples (Australians), Economic Depression, 1890s, Migration & Settlement, Migration Schemes, feminism, motor vehicle factories, Royal Visits, Olympic Games: Melbourne, 1956

Localities

Victoria

Authors

Dr Tony Hood, Museums Victoria Staff, Eloise Coccoli

Article types

Physical Object, Collection

Cite this page

Hood, T., Museums Victoria Staff and Coccoli, E. (2004) Our History - Treasures - Museums Victoria, 2004 in Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/307
Accessed 30 March 2021

Rights

We support the open release of data and information about our collections.

Text content on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence

Authors

Eloise Coccoli Assistant Curator, Collections Online at Museums Victoria.

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Our History - Treasures - Museums Victoria, 2004

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In Melbourne 1854, two small rooms were set aside in a government office for the purpose of accommodating specimens 'which may from time to time be forwarded to the intended museum of natural history'. One and a half centuries later, Museums Victoria is a multi-campus, multi-discipline institution, providing exhibitions and research, education and public programs, whilst continuing to care for the ...

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Museums Victoria acquires the world’s most complete and most finely preserved Triceratops

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Museums Victoria acquires the world’s most complete and most finely preserved Triceratops

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Melbourne Museum 02 DECEMBER 2020

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The dinosaur fossil will go on display at Melbourne Museum in 2021.

Dr Erich Fitzgerald looking at the lower jaw of the Triceratops.

Museums Victoria today confirmed it has acquired a near-complete fossil of a 67-million-year-old adult Triceratops horridus. At 87% complete, the specimen is the most complete and most finely preserved Triceratops ever found, including skin impressions and tendons, and the complete skull and spine.

'This is among the most globally significant dinosaur discoveries ever made and the most complete dinosaur fossil ever acquired by an Australasian museum. It will make its home here in Victoria at Melbourne Museum from 2021,' said Lynley Crosswell, CEO and director of Museums Victoria.

Museums Victoria's senior curator of palaeontology Dr Erich Fitzgerald said the exceptional quality of this Triceratops makes it one of the most informative dinosaur fossils in the history of palaeontology.

'This is the Rosetta Stone for understanding Triceratops. Despite its popularity, there are still many unanswered questions about the anatomy and palaeobiology of Triceratops. This fossil comprises hundreds of bones including a complete skull and the entire vertebral column which will help us unlock mysteries about how this species lived 67 million years ago. This will be one of a handful of Triceratops skeletons on display around the world in which all bones, from the skull to the tip of the tail, are from one individual animal.'

With its enormous 148 cm wide frill and fearsome three horns, this Triceratops specimen is instantly recognisable. At an estimated 6-7 metres long and more than 2 metres tall, the fossil skeleton is larger than a full-grown African elephant and weighs more than 1000 kg. The skull alone weighs 261 kg and is 99% complete, making it among the most intact Triceratops skulls ever discovered.

Discovered in 2014 on a private property in Montana, USA, the scientific value of this specimen is extraordinary. Early this year, a team of experts from Museums Victoria travelled to Canada where extensive preparation is currently underway to excavate the Triceratops from the rock it is encased in and transport it to Melbourne Museum.

Lynley Crosswell said that scientists from all over the world will be able to visit Melbourne Museum to study this specimen and make new discoveries about the species' evolution, biology, development, and behaviour.

'This is a globally significant addition to the State Collection that's exciting not just for Victoria but for all of Australia. We know our Triceratops will delight and amaze audiences, and it will inspire us to consider the remarkable wonder and fragility of life on Earth.'

'We are deeply grateful to the Victorian State Government for supporting the Triceratops ' acquisition. This investment in the State Collection will provide an unmatched and unforgettable experience for our visitors and enhance and strengthen the scientific and cultural value of our collections.'

Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson said, 'Museums Victoria offers incredible experiences for visitors and world-class research behind the scenes - it's fitting that Melbourne Museum will now host one of the most important dinosaur discoveries in history.'

'This Triceratops fossil will be a must-see attraction for all ages and a major new attraction for Victoria.'

Home to Australia's leading museum-based palaeontology research program, it is natural that one of the world's biggest-name dinosaurs should reside in Melbourne as part of Museums Victoria's State Collection.

67 million years in the making, this specimen will enhance and strengthen the scientific and cultural value of the state collections and enable Museums Victoria to provide exceptional experiences for visitors. From 2021 Victoria will be home to one of the world's best Triceratops specimens, accessible to all, inspiring life-long wonder and discovery.

For interviews and media enquiries please contact:

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Museums Victoria acquires the world's most complete and most finely preserved Triceratops

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The dinosaur fossil will go on display at Melbourne Museum in 2021. Museums Victoria today confirmed it has acquired a near-complete fossil of a 67-million-year-old adult Triceratops horridus. At 87% complete, the specimen is the most complete and most finely preserved Triceratops ever found, including skin impressions and tendons, and the complete skull and spine.

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A WILD chapter in the museum story to close after 11 years

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A WILD chapter in the museum story to close after 11 years

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Melbourne Museum 14 JANUARY 2021

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Visitors to Melbourne Museum have until Tuesday 26 January to experience Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world one last time before the exhibition closes to make way for the new exhibition featuring the recently announced 67-million-year-old adult Triceratops horridus, set to open late 2021.

Visitors viewing Wild Amazing animals in a changing world exhibition.

Melbourne Museum's wildly popular Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world will permanently close this month after 11 years. The iconic exhibition, first opened in 2009, gave audiences a rare opportunity to get up close to a stunning range of animal specimens from across the globe and to reflect on the diversity and fragility of life around us.

Replacing Wild will be the recently announced Museums Victoria acquisition of a 67-million-year-old adult Triceratops horridus, one of the most globally significant dinosaur discoveries ever made and the most complete dinosaur fossil ever acquired by an Australasian museum. At 87% complete, the specimen is the most complete and most finely preserved Triceratops ever found, comprising of most of the known bones in the Triceratops skeleton, including a 99% complete skull and the entire vertebral column, as well as skin impressions and tendons. This exciting new exhibition will call Melbourne Museum home in late 2021.

Over 780 preserved animal specimens have been displayed in Wild, creating a unique showcase of global mammal, bird and reptile diversity. Some historically significant specimens have been in the museum's collection for over a century, while some species displayed are now extinct such as the Thylacine and Pig-footed Bandicoot. Recent additions to the collection highlight Victoria's changing ecosystems and environment, such as Sam the Koala, who became a symbol of hope and resilience amidst the devastating 2009 Victorian bushfires.

Some animals on display in Wild have become celebrities, including the affectionately known 'Sad Otter'. With a somewhat mournful expression, this 120-year-old taxidermied Giant Otter specimen found notoriety and its nickname after featuring on the website 'Bad Taxidermy' in 2012, becoming a popular meme that still does the rounds on social media to this day, gaining loyal and loving fans along the way.

'Millions of visitors have enjoyed this much-loved exhibition, many returning time and time again, and I'm sure that the extraordinary creatures of WILD have captivated us with the wonder of the diversity of life on our planet - especially our youngest visitors, who in connecting with and appreciating our natural world will be inspired to help protect and care for it,' said Museums Victoria CEO & Director Lynley Crosswell.

The closure of this exhibition will allow Museums Victoria Collections and Conservation staff to assess the condition of specimens which have been on display for many years, ensuring that vitally important collections that highlight biodiversity and the factors that threaten it, such as Museums Victoria's vertebrate collections, are preserved for scientific, cultural and historical research for many generations to come.

The last day to visit Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world is Tuesday 26 January, with the Darwin to DNA gallery closing from 18 January. To make sure you don't miss out, book your tickets to Melbourne Museum, or take a virtual tour of Wild via Museum at Home.

What's On

WILD: Animals drawing webinar | Friday 29 January | 2-3 pm
Learn how to draw the favourite animal from the  Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world exhibition in this webinar that you can do from home. Suitable for ages 6+. Ticket price: $10-$15. Prices is per household/ Zoom connection.

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A WILD chapter in the museum story to close after 11 years

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Visitors to Melbourne Museum have until Tuesday 26 January to experience Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world one last time before the exhibition closes to make way for the new exhibition featuring the recently announced 67-million-year-old adult Triceratops horridus, set to open late 2021.

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End of the Wild: Museum's long-running taxidermy exhibition to close

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End of the Wild: Museum's long-running taxidermy exhibition to close

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The Age Bianca Hall

January 13, 2021

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For decades, 136-year-old Sad Otter gazed mournfully at visitors to the Melbourne Museum in Carlton.

With his alarmed eyes and glumly turned-down mouth, the giant otter's rather "dodgy" taxidermy job was probably due to its creators having never seen a living specimen, according to the museum.

Sad Otter is one of Melbourne Museum's most famous residents. Credit:Jon Augier/Museums Victoria

In 2012 Sad Otter found modest internet fame when he was featured on satirical website Bad Taxidermy, having been moved to the museum's so-called "dead zoo" of 750 taxidermied animals - Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world. Visitors to the museum can now buy a Sad Otter plush toy in the gift store.

Since its establishment in 2009, Wild has inspired, amused and delighted museum visitors. But after more than a decade, curators are preparing to pack up the motley crew of birds, mammals and reptiles and put them into storage to make way for a new exhibition featuring a 67-million-year-old Triceratops skeleton, hailed as one of the most complete, and best preserved, dinosaur fossils ever unearthed.

Senior sciences curator Kate Phillips, who helped create Wild, says the exhibition's popularity has largely been due to its simplicity.

Set on tiers against a stark white background, the animals and reptiles are stars of their own show. The exhibition is separated into sections for each continent, and interactive displays allow visitors to learn about each animal's habitat, the threats they face from climate change and habitat destruction, and their vulnerability to extinction.

A taxidermied lion, part of the Melbourne Museum animal exhibit, Wild. Credit:Joe Armao

For years conservators have been struggling to protect the specimens, some of which are more than 130 years old, in the open air.

"They've been fighting a really difficult battle because what happens with specimens that are on open display is they're very vulnerable to getting infested with things like clothes moths," Ms Phillips said.

"The insects actually eat the specimens, so the specimens gradually start to disintegrate ... It's been quite a challenge and we've had to remove a few specimens that have had quite bad infestations."

Sad Otter has been one near-casualty, having been removed from display and treated in 2017 after becoming infested with varied carpet beetle larvae - another common museum pest.

A panda is among the taxidermied animals in the museum's long-running exhibition. Credit:Joe Armao

After Wild is dismantled at the end of January, the 750 specimens will go into a deep freeze for two weeks to kill any insect infestations, Ms Phillips said, before being preserved behind glass in the museum's vast storage area for posterity.

The announcement sparked an outpouring of dismay among museum-goers on social media on Wednesday afternoon.

Johnny Regan, who took his 11-month-old son Tadhg to see Wild on Wednesday, said he was pleased he'd managed to get one last look at the exhibition.

"There's a lot of animals I hadn't seen in there before," he said. "It's a pity it's closing, now."

A Tasmanian tiger at the museum also appears to have a curious expression. Credit:Joe Armao

Replacing the "dead zoo" will be a new installation that has the scientific community abuzz: an 87 per cent complete fossil of an adult Triceratops horridus, including its skull and spine.

The specimen is so well-preserved, skin impressions and tendons are still visible.

Senior palaeontology curator Erich Fitzgerald described the fossil as the "Rosetta Stone" of palaeontology.

"Despite its popularity, there are still many unanswered questions about the anatomy and palaeobiology of Triceratops," Dr Fitzgerald said.

"This will be one of a handful of Triceratops skeletons on display around the world in which all bones, from the skull to the tip of the tail, are from one individual animal."

The Triceratops was discovered in 2014 on a private property in Montana, USA.

Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world will be on show until January 26.

Bianca Hall is City Editor for The Age. She has previously worked as a senior reporter, and in the Canberra federal politics bureau.

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End of the Wild: Museum's long-running taxidermy exhibition to close

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Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size For decades, 136-year-old Sad Otter gazed mournfully at visitors to the Melbourne Museum in Carlton. With his alarmed eyes and glumly turned-down mouth, the giant otter's rather "dodgy" taxidermy job was probably due to its creators having never seen a living specimen, according to the museum.

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Consider some of the current issues relating to the display and communication of object/ideas in Natural History and Science Museums

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Consider some of the current issues relating to the display and communication of object/ideas in Natural History and Science Museums

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To what degree should museums seek to teach primarily through 'neutral' didactic displays, or should they use everything at their command to make their point, including all the rhetorical devices of entertainment and spectacle?

Have dioramas gone the way of the dodo? Or is there a case to be made for their revival?

To what degree should museums seek to present objects/information as a completed body of knowledge, or, rather, as an ongoing process that is always provisional and never complete? If our current sensibilities incline us more towards the latter, then how can museums actually achieve this in a way that visitors can understand?

If museums of these kinds are not necessarily all about objects, then what are they about? And how would they differ then fundamentally from other forms of communication media/entertainment?

Why should people feel the need to go to natural history museums to study animals - when they might just as well go to a zoo to study living animals instead?

Is the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris a space that "has impressed with its use of subliminal context setting to illuminate the unlost magic of merely cleaned up and re-dusted collection items" (Hicks 2001).

What criteria should we use to judge the success or failure of a science museum or exhibition?

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GROUP 2: Do natural history/science museums appeal equally to all age groups? Is this an issue?

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GROUP 2: Do natural history/science museums appeal equally to all age groups? Is this an issue?

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Use the Smithsonian National Museum and NEMO Science Museum as case study examples

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GROUP 3: How different are today's natural history museums from previous decades?

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GROUP 3: How different are today's natural history museums from previous decades?

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Use the Melbourne Museum's First Peoples Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre as case study example

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GROUP 4: What different techniques are used by natural history museums to communicate complex understandings? - list examples, discuss their relative effectiveness 

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GROUP 4: What different techniques are used by natural history museums to communicate complex understandings? - list examples, discuss their relative effectiveness 

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Use the American Museum of Natural History as case study example

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GROUP 1: To what extent have natural history/science museums been challenged by recent developments in the internet/media/entertainment/zoos etc - do we still need natural history museums?

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GROUP 1: To what extent have natural history/science museums been challenged by recent developments in the internet/media/entertainment/zoos etc - do we still need natural history museums?

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Use the Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks as case study examples

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Group 1 - MELBOURNE MUSEUM & SCIENCEWORKS

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Group 1 - MELBOURNE MUSEUM & SCIENCEWORKS

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https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/at-home/

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Meaningful Moments at Melbourne Museum

Open daily 9am-5pm
Discover moments of wonder and adventure. Enjoy joyful moments with friends, treasured moments with family, or a moment, just for you.

Make a donation

Join us in creating a positive, meaningful impact on the world around us.

Join Museum Members to see more, first

As a Museum Member, you'll enjoy free general entry to Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and the Immigration Museum, discounts on special exhibitions, parking, shops and cafes, exclusive events, tours and viewings!

Plus, members enjoy free museum entry to see Horridus the Triceratops all year-round.

Shop educational gifts and toys at Museums Victoria Store

Keep little hands and minds busy at home with our range of unique and educational toys, activities and books.

Build a solar system, excavate for dinosaurs, learn about the human body, or discover the secrets of the natural world in your own backyard. And for the big kids, we've got everything from puzzles to locally made homewares to brighten up your day!

Feeling peckish?

Complement your museum experience with the new Mercury Restaurant. With this elevated dining offer you can unwind and enjoy a glass of wine, coffee or lunch made to order while overlooking the stunning Royal Exhibition Building.

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Explore history, culture, science and nature at Melbourne Museum.

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NEMO is the largest science museum in the Netherlands, for all ages. Discover how fascinating and exciting science and technology can be.

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Group 4: American Museum of Natural History

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Group 4: American Museum of Natural History

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American Museum of Natural History | New York City

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Explore the natural world, and the known universe. All admission to the Museum is by timed entry and must be reserved online. Open daily, 10 am–5:30 pm.

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Virtual Exhibition https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.8032229,144.9722905,2a,19.3y,335.26h,80.57t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXAVSgfoJ6eVV4_jqGlMUyg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

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As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, all Smithsonian museums are temporarily closed. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on our websites and social media.

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Virtual Tour | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, all Smithsonian museums are temporarily closed. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on our websites and social media.