Collections
The South Australian Museum houses over five million specimens and material cultural items. These specimens and items provide irreplaceable records with which we are constantly building and modifying our knowledge and understanding of the natural and cultural world. They are a vital part of Australia’s national heritage and play an integral role in the international scientific and anthropological communities' endeavour to document our world.
Reopening of Collection Services
We are pleased to announce that the South Australian Museum is gradually reopening access to its collections. While we continue to work through essential audit tasks, we are now able to slowly resume our collection services as capacity allows.
Acquisitions: We are now accepting acquisitions on a limited basis. Please contact us to discuss any potential donations.
Loans and Viewing Requests: We are also starting to process requests for loans and viewings of collection items. We appreciate your patience as we work through these requests.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage: We remain committed to prioritising access for Aboriginal communities to their cultural heritage materials, especially for repatriation activities.
Our galleries remain open to the public, 10am-5pm every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday.
For any questions or further information, please contact us at collections@samuseum.sa.gov.au.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Donations
Please note the Museum is currently in the process of reviewing its collections development policy and plans and, as a result, is not accepting any donations of objects or items in the short-term. Should you wish to make a donation please contact us at feedback@samuseum.sa.gov.au, we will keep your details on record and contact you once we have completed our review. We appreciate that you may make alternative arrangements for your item or collection in the meantime.
Items from the Australian Aboriginal Cultures collection
McCartney bottles containing parasite specimens preserved in alcohol in the Parasitology Collection, one of nine collections in Biological Sciences.
Crocoite, a lead chromate, from the Dundas minerals field, Zeehan district, Tasmania, in the Mineral Sciences collection. The old mines are now worked solely for specimen minerals such as these.