Primary contact
49 Kew Street, Welshpool
Perth, Western Australia 6106
Identity area
Identifier
daa/457
Authorized form of name
Western Australian Museum Archive Collection
Parallel form(s) of name
Other form(s) of name
Type
- State
Contact area
Librarian
Type
Address
Street address
49 Kew Street, Welshpool
Locality
Perth
Region
Western Australia
Country name
Postal code
6106
Telephone
08 9212 3773
Fax
library@museum.wa.gov.au
Note
Description area
History
The Western Australian Museum's archive collection, located in the Library, documents the history of the museum. It also contains documents created and received by the Museum since its development from the collections of the Swan River Mechanics Institute (founded in 1860) and the Geological Museum at Fremantle (started in 1881) up until 1970.
The Library itself, specialises in providing materials on the following topics: zoology; earth sciences; Australian history, anthropology and archaeology; maritime archaeology; materials conservation; and museology. The Library features over 750 books published prior to 1900, together with scientific journals dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and many 19th century reprints. Rare books include volumes of natural history, Australian Aboriginal studies and accounts of European discovery and exploration of Australia.
Geographical and cultural context
Mandates/Sources of authority
Administrative structure
Officer in charge: Librarian
Records management and collecting policies
Buildings
Holdings
The archive includes:
- Personal papers and field notes of former staff and papers of a few notable individuals without formal Museum affiliation.
- Documents created and received by the Museum since its development from the collections of the Swan River Mechanics Institute (founded in 1860) and the Geological Museum at Fremantle (started in 1881) up until 1970.
- Correspondence of early Museum directors, for example, the letter books of Bernard Woodward, 1895-1915.
- Papers relating to the history and conservation of present and past Museum buildings, for example, the Old Perth Gaol.
- Press Clippings, 1889-1909: A separate fully searchable database contains the full-text of items contained in the Museum's scrapbooks of late 19th and early 20th century newspaper articles. Many of the earlier clippings reflect the Museum's origins as a geological museum and are primarily concerned with a geological perspective of Western Australia's exploration and development. Later articles concentrate on the museum's development and role in society, with specific regard to collections and expansion.
Finding aids, guides and publications
Most items in the Museum’s archives are not fully indexed, however, the development of the archives database is ongoing. Summaries and the indexing of key names are being added on a regular basis.
Access area
Opening times
Open by appointment. Please phone, email or fax to arrange a suitable time.
Access conditions and requirements
Material can be viewed by appointment. Please email requests for access to the Librarian, together with your details, the items you wish to view and an outline of the research being undertaken.
Accessibility
Services area
Research services
Reference assistance is provided to those wanting to make an appointment.
Reproduction services
No copying services available.
Public areas
Control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised 11 October 2021
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Maintenance notes
Access points
Access Points
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Thematic area)
- Arts and Culture (Thematic area)
- Environment (Thematic area)
- Indigenous (Thematic area)
- Natural Resources (Thematic area)
- Science and Technology (Thematic area)