QVMAG Collections

Temporary closures to public enquiries, collection access and research

The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is currently involved with several major projects at its Royal Park and Inveresk sites. These projects are part of exciting developments that will offer significant benefits to the community. They include work on the redevelopment of the Royal Park site, for example. This and other exciting projects will reshape the future identity of the Museum and its programs to the public.

A number of departments are directly involved in these development programs. As a result, we will have a reduced capacity to deal with public enquiries, the provision of access to a number of Museum collections and the provision of reproductions from those collections.
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The Visual Arts and Design department, including the Fine Arts and Decorative Arts & Design collections, is closed for public enquiries, requests for the reproduction of collection images and for viewing and research access. The Fine Arts and the Decorative Arts staff will continue to assist with enquiries relating to:

· offers of objects for sale to the Museum
· offers of donations for consideration by the Museum

however there may be some delays in responding to these enquiries.
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The Community History Centre remains open by 10 am - 1 pm Tuesday to Saturday.

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Enquiries for Natural Sciences, including Zoology and Geology, remain open. However, people wishing to lodge specimens for identification or information should visit the Museum's Inveresk site.

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We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience during this period. Please call us on 6323 3777 if you have any questions. We look forward to being able to offer an improved service to you as soon as possible.
 
Collections and Research 

The basis of the collections of the QVMAG was formed by the Launceston Mechanics’ Institute which opened in the 1840s. Since then the collections have continued to grow and today are of national significance. They span a wide range of disciplines from Fine Art, History, Decorative Arts and Design to Zoology, Physical Sciences and Geology. These collections have been created largely as gifts or bequests, through the generosity of the community.

The Museum today collects, conserves, exhibits and carries out research into Tasmania’s natural, historical and cultural heritage. There are four major collection areas:

 botanical art

last muster

owenlade

quilt

orchid

chair

carving

textile

pewter glask

spider

moon
Arts
• Australian and international paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture from all periods.
• information is provided to a wide variety of individuals and organisations as well as research with a particular emphasis on Tasmanian 19th and 20th century art, Tasmanian historical decorative arts and 20th century Australian craft and design.
Humanities
• including Tasmanian documents, photographs and ephemera that are primarily concerned with the northern region of the State as well as the collections of material culture of Tasmania since European settlement, incorporating the ethnography, technology and archaeology collections.

Community History Collections
Natural Sciences
• including collections of botany, geology and zoology, of mainly Tasmanian origin but also including material from mainland Australia and overseas.
• information is provided to government agencies, research workers, community groups and the general public on the taxonomy and ecology of Tasmania’s flora and fauna, as well as research in the taxonomy of invertebrate fossils in Tasmania.

Zoology
Geology
Invertebrata
Physical Sciences
• including the Launceston Planetarium, which incorporates both the special Planetarium theatre and the solar telescope facility.
• information is provided on astronomical matters and contributions are made to international research programs.

The Launceston Planetarium

 

Image information
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