Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia | History Museum

Museum of the Riverina

Locality: Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 6926 9655

Address: Corner of Morrow and Baylis Streets 2650 Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.museumriverina.com.au

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25.01.2022 It's almost that time of year, when was the last time you saw a Christmas beetle in Wagga? https://www.australiangeographic.com.au//ghosts-of-chris/

24.01.2022 Some of our most significant and special local treasures are about to come out of storage for our next temporary exhibition at the Historic Council Chambers... All will be revealed soon...

23.01.2022 This morning former Huthwaite's employee Kay Reid donated this wonderful t-shirt to our permanent collection. We are always happy to accept donations of objects that are significant to Wagga's story, and this is one of just a handful of items in our collection associated with Huthwaite's. We are also looking for Wagga photos that we can keep high resolution digital scans of. ALSO :- If you have friends or family that are looking for something to do over Christmas, why not visit our Historic Council Chambers site where one of the exhibitions currently on display tells the story of this iconic Wagga business. Copies of the book 'Huthwaite's: The Friendly Story' are also for sale, just $25.

23.01.2022 Sarcophagi Sunday!

22.01.2022 The textile conservation team has been busy preparing objects new works in the exhibition, "Textile Arts of Britain: A Commodity for the Colonies." In addition ...to conservation treatment, exhibition preparation includes creating custom mounts for many of the objects like these waistcoats and this heavily embroidered silk apron. The custom mounts fully support the weight and structure of each garment and display these spectacular objects to full effect! 1 - From left to right: yellow waistcoat with metallic trim (1960-708); red quilted waistcoat (2017-314); gold waistcoat (1991-476); silver and green 2 - Detail showing fabric-covered buttons and quilting on the red quilted waistcoat (2017-314). 3 - Early to mid-18th century embroidered apron (1991-504). 4 - Detail showcasing the elaborate embroidery worked in silk and metallic threads on the apron (1991-504). Visit the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg to see these garments on display in the Alaimo Gallery: https://bit.ly/34PzMch P.S. Curious about conservation and want to meet our conservators? Stay tuned for #askaconservator day on November 18!

21.01.2022 Find out how a passion for the sciences led Faye McMillan to becoming the first tertiary qualified registered Aboriginal pharmacist in Australia. Read more about Faye in our latest book, HerStory: A celebration of Wagga’s women from early settlement to today. Copies are $20 and available now from our Historic Council Chambers site https://museumriverina.com.au/shop

18.01.2022 We were saddened to hear of the passing of one of our dear friends this week. Mitsue Stockley came into our lives when we were researching the 2007 exhibition 'From All Four Corners: Stories of Migration to Wagga Wagga'. We were privileged that Mitsue was happy to share her story with us, and we invite you all to watch it below. RIP Mitsue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_N4WSQlOwc

16.01.2022 www.museumriverina.com.au

15.01.2022 Have you seen our latest exhibition, Care Factor? When a loved one falls ill and the outlook isn’t rosy, family members often become carers. This intimate and unique storytelling exhibition gives voice to professional and family carers from around the Riverina. Their candid insights are touched with sadness, humour and hard-earned wisdom. This Wednesday, we'll have an online event in conjunction with the exhibition - Panel Discussion | Myth Busting: When Someone Dies At Home.... It'll be live-streamed here on our Facebook page from 6pm. Find out more + see our opening hours: https://museumriverina.com.au/exhibitions/care-factor

15.01.2022 Part of Tutankhamun's treasure

14.01.2022 Dame Nellie Melba's Wagga performance. Today our friends from Redland Library in QLD offered us this poster from their collection. Naturally we said yes thankyou. Note the date of the concert - coincidence?

13.01.2022 #BornOnThisDay 1871, Harriet Boyd Hawes, Archaeologist - who was, by all accounts, a bit of a bloody legend. 'Hawes differed from many of her contemporaries in ...that she was more interested in the daily lives of the people she studied, rather than the gold, jewels and palaces of the higher classes. Her publications and discussions concerning her work are technical, and not filled with romance and stories like those of many of her contemporaries. She was well published and received an honorary doctorate from Smith College in 1910. Harriet not only made major contributions to archaeology study, but she also broke down the barriers of her male-dominated field and paved the path for future generations of women in academia. She also worked as a war nurse, and treated sick and injured soldiers during the Greco-Turkish War, the Spanish-American War and World War I. She was truly a pioneer of modern archaeological investigations.' http://archaeologyblog.treetimeservices.ca//harriet-boyd-/ https://trowelblazers.com/harriet-boyd-hawes-bold-brave-an/

12.01.2022 Congratulations Aunty Isabel. Well deserved.

11.01.2022 #visitwagga bucket list Admire the 24,000 fairy lights in the largest pine tree in the Victory Memorial Gardens. The lights switch on at dusk each evening. ...Wagga Wagga CBD : Chloe Smith Photography Discover more >>> visitwagga.com

11.01.2022 DID YOU KNOW? Iva Davies of Australian band Icehouse is originally from Wagga? He began his musical career playing bagpipes with the Wagga Pipe Band (from the age of about 6) and made his first musical appearance on RVN2 (now Prime TV). For more stories of things that make Wagga unique, why not stop by our Historic Council Chambers this weekend and check out our exhibition Made in Wagga: Retrospective? Here's one of Icehouse's greatest hits to take you through the weekend :...) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUFOVu1CurM

11.01.2022 Edna Busse was the Borovansky ballerina who brought classical ballet to Wagga. Read more about Edna in our latest book, HerStory: A celebration of Wagga’s women from early settlement to today. Copies are $20 and available now from our Historic Council Chambers site https://museumriverina.com.au/shop... Image: Edna Busse, oil painting by Edouard Borovansky (courtesy National Library of Australia)

11.01.2022 Two new exhibitions are ready for you all to enjoy at our Historic Council Chambers site! Made in Wagga: Retrospective and Huthwaite's: The Friendly Store tell the stories of some of Wagga's most iconic businesses and objects. Also, if you've always wanted to see our infamous gold Chiko Roll, now is your chance!

10.01.2022 This photograph was sent to the Wagga & District Historical Society in the hopes that perhaps somebody may be able to tell the owner something about it. It would appear that the man is wearing a slouch hat, which may date the image to around the time just shortly after World War I. The rifle has been identified as a T0699 Enfield Martini Henry Conversion 12 gauge (manufactured sometime between the 1870s and early 1900s). It's a long-shot, but does anybody have any further information that may help the owner identify the man in the photo?

10.01.2022 In the 19th and early 20th centuries, European settlers were attracted to utilising the fur of Australian animals, both for their practical and aesthetic qualities. Furs were made into rugs that graced tents, huts and the interiors of grand houses. Possum skin was especially popular. A significant object in our permanent collection is this beautiful possum skin rug which was owned by Arthur Albert Devlin of 'Uarah Station', Wagga (1844 - 1907). The rug is made up of 66 matching skins which have been mounted on a red wool felt backing with a scalloped edge. It would have been a warm and comforting addition to furniture during the winter months. Opossum (as they were known) skin rugs were valued items in Australian homes.

09.01.2022 The installation of our summer exhibition is nearing completion. From tomorrow, at our Historic Council Chambers site, you are invited to come and enjoy 'Made in Wagga: Retrospective'. In addition to a special section, 'Huthwaite's: The Friendly Store'. Watch this space for further information...

08.01.2022 As a follow up to yesterday's donation of a mystery medical instrument owned by Dr. Ronald Lewis, we can now shed some light on what it is! Probably dating to the early 1900s, it is a fine example of a manual cranial drill. The leather covered wooden box contains a number of drill bits (including two trephination burrs) that can be fitted to the universal shaft. The ebony crank handle is attached with a ball and socket joint, and the drill has a geared drive which furnishes... a rapid and smooth motion. A drill like this would have been used to perform a craniotomy. The smaller drill bits would be fitted for an exploratory procedure to identify a sub-dural bleed, and the larger, to release pressure once the bleed has been located. Injuries like this would have occurred by falling off a horse, or in a bar brawl for example. Many thanks to all of you who commented on our original post. Image: A variation on our cranial drill, the Collin's Bone Perforateur with Petit Crown Trephine

07.01.2022 Kick start your October long weekend with a drive-in cinema experience in Wagga this Friday! Pack the car with your movie snacks, or drop by one of your favourite Wagga Wagga eateries and grab something to go before heading to Cross Street car park (next to the Visitor Information Centre) for an evening viewing under the stars. Gates open at 6pm for a 7pm screening.... More details and tickets via the FB event

03.01.2022 Today we were given some significant objects which belonged to Dr. Ronald Awstun Lewis, who first came to Wagga in 1932 for a six week placement to help the Resident Staff at the District Hospital, but stayed for the rest of his life, dying at the advanced age of 89 years. In 1934, Dr. Lewis went into general practice at The Rock, before joining Doctors Martin and Weedon in practice in Wagga four years later. One of the items given to us by Dr. Lewis's son Simon is this b...eautifully crafted piece of surgical equipment in its original case. Manufactured by Mayer & Meltzer of 71 Great Portland Street, London, it comes with all of its accessories in a box lined with purple velvet and satin. But what is it?! Has anybody ever seen one of these? And if you have, do you know what it was used for? We'd love to hear your suggestions...

03.01.2022 Image: "Boree Jack" (detail) Ralph Tikerpae, Wyalong Museum 2020 Recycled metal... One of the artworks currently on display in the Old:New exhibition, Historic Council Chambers

02.01.2022 Our next temporary exhibition is not far away now... Here's a sneak peek of some of the treasures that will be displayed