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Museum

About the Museum

We use our world-class collections to create and share new knowledge, focusing on Australian Aboriginal and Pacific cultures, earth and life sciences.

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Celebrating 165 years of the Museum

This year, we are celebrating the Museum’s 165th birthday. It might be of surprise to you to know that this makes us older than the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Natural History Museum in London. But it is not just our age that makes us special.

The South Australian Museum

The South Australian Museum has been committed to making Australia’s natural and cultural heritage accessible, engaging and fun for over 150 years. It is a place where families can learn and grow together.

Today the Museum is one of the most visited museums in Australia and holds collections of national and international significance. It is a leader in remote and regional community engagement, and in Australian Aboriginal heritage and scientific research.

Our people

The South Australian Museum is proud to have some of the most highly regarded science and research staff in the country, working with some of the premier natural and cultural collections in the world.

There are fewer than 90 full time equivalent staff at the Museum. We are greatly assisted in our work by more than 200 volunteers, students and Honoraries.

Media

Our media department works with journalists from all over the world to promote the Museum’s exhibitions, programs, world-class collections and ground-breaking scientific research.

Governance

The South Australian Museum is managed by a Board of eight people with a diverse range of business, arts, science and cultural expertise. They determine the strategic direction for the Museum, and are responsible for the obligations of the Museum as determined by the South Australian Museum Act 1976.

The day-to-day operations of the Museum are the responsibility of the Executive team. The Executive team approves internal decisions relating to running the Museum and aid the Board in achieving the strategic objectives of the Museum.
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Aboriginal heritage & repatriation

The Museum recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of this country and understands that reconciliation is the responsibility of all Australians.

The South Australian Museum is committed to reconciliation as an underpinning principle both in our exhibition and research programs, and also in relation to the history of the Museum itself.

Aboriginal reconciliation statement

The South Australian Museum holds one of the most important collections of Aboriginal material culture in the world

The legacy of these collections carries great potential, but also great responsibilities. The 30,000 individual items include irreplaceable artefacts, artworks and ceremonial materials of great significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Freedom of information statement

State Records of South Australia provides an overview on Freedom of Information in South Australia. Under the Freedom of Information Act 1991, members of the public have a legal right to access documents held by the South Australian Museum (the Museum), subject to certain exemptions.

The Museum’s website provides a range of information regarding policies, operations and management. State Records of South Australia provides information on making an FOI application.

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