Art Is A Weapon—now open!
The exhibition shows off a wonderful portfolio of linocuts created by the Melbourne Popular Art Group in 1954, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Eureka Stockade.
Page 2 of 12 — Latest articles
Marching through the paint layers of history—revealing the hidden secrets of Provisional Parliament House (Part 1)
We are currently undertaking a refurbishment of the Members’ Dining Room so that the space meets the requirements of a contemporary function venue, yet protects, reveals and communicates the rare and significant historical features.
Merry Christmas from the Museum of Australian Democracy
2012 has been a big year for the Museum of Australian Democracy.
A fascist sex symbol?
The museum has just acquired this photograph and unique letter from a dealer which digs deeper into one of the more famous stories in Australian history.
Celebrating the 300th oral history recording
Our 300th oral history recording made quite an impact thanks to a promotional competition organised with 666 ABC Canberra to select the 300th interviewee. The winner was Quentin O’Keefe who had worked in the Provisional Parliament House as a casual bar attendant in 1974.
I am an enemy of the state…
So proclaims the slogan on one of the myriad political badges collected during the course of the museum’s Great Badge Swap. The program, launched in June 2011, is an opportunity for you to contribute to the museum’s permanent collection by donating a badge that you have worn to express solidarity, dissent, celebration, hope or humour and to share your personal experiences of wearing the badge and what it signified to you. Your response has been wonderful…and democratic.
Learn why democracy is not a spectator sport
From 26 November until 2 December the museum will be hosting a special History Channel film preview—a new documentary, “The People Speak”, which has the intriguing tagline “Democracy is not a spectator sport”.
Art is a Weapon: Behind the scenes of a new exhibition
Having worked at Old Parliament House since 2006, before the Museum of Australian Democracy existed, I’ve often had a small role in assisting with exhibitions—mostly doing research for text panels or for objects on display. But the Art is a Weapon exhibition, due to open in December 2012, is the first one with which I’ve had this level of involvement.
Kevin Rudd’s riding boots
Currently on display in the museum’s Prime Ministers of Australia exhibition is former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s boots. The black leather RM Williams riding boots were worn by Kevin Rudd when he tabled a motion in the Commonwealth Parliament on 13 February 2008 apologising to the Stolen Generations for the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families.
The Forgotten History of 11 November 1975
Each year the Museum of Australian Democracy marks the anniversary of the events that surrounded the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor Government in 1975. This year we will focus our commemoration on one place, on one day.
Archie Cameron’s war on Phar Lap
The twelfth Speaker of the House of Representatives, Archie Galbraith Cameron, is renowned for his colourful personality and autocratic, abrasive style of managing the affairs of the House. One of Cameron’s more famous obsessions was his strong anti-gambling position.
Large, small, different
The first thing I wrote in my notebook when I attended the recent Museums Australia Conference in Adelaide was ‘I feel large, small, different’. Was this going to be an Alice in Wonderland experience? From the opening ceremony to the closing plenary the conference encouraged me to reflect on this museum and its place in the museum world.
Our 300th recording! Introducing Mrs Quentin O’Keefe
In September, the museum, in association with 666 ABC Canberra, hosted a competition to find our 300th oral history recording. Fantastic submissions were received from individuals who had worked in the building when it was home to the federal parliament however there can only be one winner.
Riding towards constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians
The museum recently acquired two significant objects for its permanent collection which provide an opportunity to explore the road to reconciliation for Australia’s Indigenous people—a message stick and a kangaroo skin petition book.
‘My Dear Little Daddy’
Recently the museum purchased a unique item. In 1936 former Prime Minister and still-serving Member of the House of Representatives William (Billy) Morris Hughes bought a copy of the book Caravan, by John Galsworthy, as a gift for his daughter Helen.
Franklin River debate: 1983
The museum’s Schools Learning team have recently undertaken a significant refresh of one of our most popular onsite school programs—Franklin River Debate: 1983.
Happy 150th birthday to our dour but magnificent architect who did a ‘rush job’
This month we are celebrating the 150th birthday of John Smith Murdoch, the chief architect for the Commonwealth of Australia who designed Provisional Parliament House, the magnificent building that houses our museum.
Museums Australia award for Marnti warajanga - a walk together
News just in from the Museums Australia conference in Adelaide, our Marnti warajanga – a walk together travelling exhibition has won the Museums and Galleries National Award for the level 3 category ($150,000 to $500,000) temporary exhibition.
Librarians and journalists
666 ABC Canberra Mornings presenter, Alex Sloan, and museum historian, Dr Barry York, are sharing stories from the museum’s oral history collection during September. The latest theme from the collection is ‘librarians and journalists’.
Bygone jobs
666 ABC Canberra Mornings presenter, Alex Sloan, and museum historian, Dr Barry York, are sharing stories from the museum’s oral history collection during September. The latest theme from the collection is ‘bygone jobs’.
