Historical and Heritage Significance of an Australian Site - 825 Words

The Historical and Heritage Significance of an Australian Site, Melbourne Story, Museum of Victoria (Essay Sample) Content: Field Report: The Melbourne Story, Museum of VictoriaBy NameCourseTutorInstitutionJanuary 9, 2017Museum Victoria was established in 1854 by a group of the citys earliest European settlers who were not only educated, but also determined to create a grand city. In the first decade of the citys founding, the settlers established mobile gentlemens clubs and libraries. The museums original site was at Assay Office in La Trobe Street, but was soon moved to the Melbourne Mechanics Institution in 1856 following funding problems and scientific rivalries. Its first director was Frederick McCoy, who ran it until his death in 1899. Originally, the museum focused on preserving and exhibiting collections in history, geology, and botany.A black white engraving depicting the interior of the National Museum 1857, showing cases with specimens in and on them, and members of the public engaging with the displays.Illustrator: Samuel Calvert, Source: La Trobe Picture Collection, State Lib rary of VictoriaToday, however, Museum Victoria is a collection of exhibitions and relics from diverse subjects and time periods, dating back to the mid and late 19th century. The collections at the museum provides useful insights into the city of Melbourne about the people who lived there, the individuals who shaped the citys growth, and the nature of life among the first settlers.The Melbourne Story at the Museum immortalizes many emotional experiences about the circumstances of the first European settlers and the indigenous people. A large section of the exhibitions are dedicated to the citys iconic figures, especially those who influenced the citys growth and creation of an intercultural tolerant environment during and after World War One, which saw an influx of people from different parts of the world. In fact, there is a section about immigration, which showcases the people who came to Australia in search of peace and economic opportunities in the late 19th and early 20th cent uries. Some of these immigrants will play important roles in the development of Melbournes cultural diversity, as well as influencing the political and religious ideologies of the city and Australia in general.One of such immigrants exhibited at the Museum Victoria was Daniel Mannix, a British-born Australian and Melbournes longest serving Archbishop. Mannixs notable contribution to Australias history was his opposition to the conscription of eligible Australian men to fight alongside Britain during World War One (Web 2003; 32). He helped to defeat Prime Ministers conscription attempts twice, thereby limiting the extent of Australias involvement in the War. The defeat also had political ramifications as it lead to a fallout in Hughess government, paving the way for the emergence of new political parties and coalition governments, which have a characteristic of Australian democracy.In this regard, the Melbourne Story is relevant to Australian history by showcasing the iconic figures whose actions shaped the political future of the country. Mannixs opposition to military conscriptions through public campaigns laid the foundation for future involvement of religious leaders in the political life of Australians. Religious leaders were no longer passive and neutral observers of public affairs, but commentators on as well as influencers of public issues.William Hughes, Prime Minister during WWIDaniel Mannix, Archbishop of Melbourne, 1917-1963.Tom Walsh and Adela Pankhurst, Interwar activistOne of the exhibitions at the museum is about Aboriginal activism in Melbourne to resist the forceful taking away of the natives land by the settlers. Tom Walsh and Adela Pankhurst were some of the activists who campaigned for a fair and inclusive society by fighting for the rights of the indigenous communities. The exhibition of the citys original settlers who came from foreign countries not only symbolizes the cultural diversity of Australia, but also emphasizes the countrys rep utation as a haven of peace for people running away from war hot spots. It depicts Australias long history as a home to people from different parts of the world, making it a melting cultural pot.The Melbourne Story is also a visual narrative of the citys past and present history, depicting the citys iconic figures, heroes and villains. It portrays the transformation of the city over the years in terms of demographic trends due to migration, and physical changes due to urban growth (Darian-Smith Pascoe 2013; 43). In addition, there are stories about the experiences of the Aboriginal under the hands of the settlers, and the subsequent Aboriginal activism in support of the rights of the indigenous people.The Melbourne Story is also a recreation of the working class cottage life of the late 1800s. It gives visitors a fresh insight into how life was in the early years of the citys founding. For instance, some of the exhibitions depict the mode of transportation in the city during the ea rly 19th century. One of the famous collection at the Museum Victoria is the rare 19th century coach the Cobb Co Coach, which is believed to have been built in 1880 in Geelong for the Western Stage Company, which provided transport services throughout Western Victoria under the Cobb Co name. The company was founded in 1854 to ferry workers from Melbourne to the goldfields, and the banner Cobb Co was later adopted by other coach companies throughout Eastern Australia before the invention of modern transportation.Dickinson Cobb Co CoachSource: Museum Victoria, Photographer: Matthew ChurchwardThe Cobb coach was last used the Casterton to Mount Gambier route in 1916. Designed to carry a maximum of 17 passengers in a carriage drawn by four or five horses, the Cobb waste last of its kind mode of commercial transportation in Victoria. Thus, the exhibition of the coach is a significant part of the Melbourne Story as it gives visitors a glimpse into the way people traveled in late 19th and early 20th century Melbourne and Victoria at large. By comparing the past modern modes of transport to modern medium, with the stark contrasts in terms of speed and comfort, visitors are not only able to appreciate the contributions of modern technology in making life easier, but also in reflecting about the progress that society has made over the centuries.The Melbourne Story also displays women and men at work in industries and the gold fields. These depictions help visitors to understand the economic history of Australia as a similar to that of the U.S. during the gold rush (Aitken 2016). Australia became a land of opportunity for venture investors, in the same way the Gold Rush characterized the quest for the American Dream.At museum there are also collections of over 600 watches and clocks, dating from the seventeenth centur...