Museum of Australia, 1975-1994

Component identifier:

Series 14

Content Summary:

Following the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry into Museums and National Collections, an Interim Council for the Museum of Australia was appointed in December 1980. The Interim Council was primarily responsible for advising on the establishment, siting and development of the proposed National Museum of Australia. Mulvaney served on the Interim Council from its inception until his resignation in 1983.

This series includes correspondence, minutes, reports, submissions, proposals, drafts and cuttings of articles and papers, drafts and copies of reports, research material and related papers.

Early papers in the series document Mulvaney's membership of the Department of Home Affairs' Museums Advisory Committee, 1979-1980, which was a precursor to the Interim Council. This Committee was set up to advise the Department on acquisitions in the period before the establishment of the Interim Council.

The bulk of the files in this series relate to the activities of the Interim Council from 1980 to 1982, particularly the planning and development of the Museum, including documentation of such issues as staffing, administration, funding, siting, design, themes, acquisitions, collection management and maintenance, clientele and relationships with other institutions.

There are papers relating to arrangements for visits to museums throughout Australia and overseas; consultation with academics, Aboriginal communities, heritage bodies and others; organisation of conferences and workshops on such issues as Australian history, the Australian environment, museology and conservation; and drafting and presentation of the Interim Council's report.

Later papers in the series reflect Mulvaney's continuing interest in the development of the Museum, including his role as chair of the Joint Academies Committee on Museums, which was established in 1989.

Among the major correspondents are J.L. Bannister, Weston Bate, Jean Battersby, Peter Baume, Jim Bowler, Dale Budd, T.W. Campbell, Georgina Carnegie, J.T. Davies, A.T. Dix, Warwick Dix, Robert Edwards, R.J. Ellicott, R. Else-Mitchell, John Haslem, R.W. Home, Amirah Inglis, John W. Knight, James Lorimer, D.A. Low, Bill Mandle, D.F. McMichael, Peter Pigott, Wilfrid Prest, Christopher Puplick, Margaret Reid, Barrie Reynolds, Graham Richardson, W.D.L. Ride, Eva Rosander, P.M. Ryan, Jim Specht, Jack Thompson, P.J. Ucko, Robin Wade, D.F. Waterhouse, Frank Waters, R.G. Withers and David Yencken.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The original instalment of this collection (MS 9615) was donated by Professor Mulvaney under the Cultural Gifts Program in September 1999. Further instalments were received in 2013 and 2017.

Contents

Access and use