Western Australian Museum Archive Collection

Western Australian Museum Archive Collection

• State

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.

Officer in charge: Librarian

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.

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.

Open by appointment. Please phone, email or fax to arrange a suitable time.

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.

Reference assistance is provided to those wanting to make an appointment.

No copying services available.

Revised 11 October 2021

• 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)