QUEEN VICTORIA MUsEUM AND ART GALLERY

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• Over 7200 collection records were checked for uploading to OzCAM. • An assessment of the value of our collection holdings was begun by Simon Storey. • Wet Vertebrate Collection was reorganised with mammals, reptiles and amphibians now stored in taxonomic order. • Small skeletal material in the Dry Vertebrate Collection was transferred to more appropriate containers and re-labelled to improve accessibility and security of material. • Sorting of mollusc samples collected from Greens Beach by RH Green and E Buchanan continued. • Ongoing re-housing, registration and shelving of invertebrates from Northern River Monitoring program continued. • Continued program of transferring pinned specimens from open drawer storage to unit trays. • Instituted and maintained a program of freezer fumigation to minimise risk to the dry Botany collection from insect attack. • Re-housing of part of fungal collection was undertaken. • Accessioning, registering, databasing and storage of specimens in the Rock Collection, the A Monger Collection and the Mineral collection continued. • An audit of Tertiary and Quaternary material began. • Audit and re-housing of Bullock Creek and Quaternary material in the Vertebrate Fossil Collection continues. • Complete re-housing and organising of the Plant Fossil Collection was undertaken. • Two thylacine mounts were conserved, put on protective mount boards and given secure storage support. • One Thylacine mount was x-rayed by the Launceston General Hospital. All mounts have now been x-rayed. Collection Development • The Museum’s new acquisition procedures had their first full year of operation. They have proved an effective tool in assisting both the curatorial staff and the Acquisitions Committee with achieving collection development objectives. All items accepted into the collections this year are listed at Appendix 3. Collection Research • Research on the Thylacine collection was continued. This included ongoing collaboration with TMAG regarding publishing part of this research. • Illustrations were completed of European Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes, as supplementary material for Skulls of the Mammals of Tasmania book. • Research continued on Australian and dangerous jellyfishes. • Natural Sciences Research Associates continued working on their respective projects: Bob Mesibov on Millipedes of Australia; and Andrew Osborn and Nigel Forteath on the Fauna of Lake Pedder. • Staff continued their research on various aspects of the collections. The variety of these projects ranged in subject from ceramics to jellyfish to thylacines to colonial portraits. Many staff members are involved in research in preparation for the upcoming redevelopment of Inveresk’s exhibition spaces. • A number of external institutions and individuals were assisted with their research through access to the Museum’s collections and information. This year these included researchers from: • Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery • CSIRO Entomology ANIC • DPIW • Melbourne University • Arts Tasmania, • South Australian Museum • Landcare Research, Auckland NZ • University of Tasmania • Griffith University • Collections Council of Australia • Threatened Species Unit 7
Collection Conservation The Museum’s Conservation section—including Objects, Paper and Paintings Conservation—was very active preparing items for exhibitions at both the Inveresk and Royal Park sites. Services provided by these departments include: • condition reporting • relocating objects • providing advice about environmental control, pest management, display methods, suitability of display materials and OH&S issues • conservation and restoration treatments • installation of items. Two major portraits by Conway Hart depicting Mr Samuel Horton and Mrs Elizabeth Horton were conserved by the Museum’s Painting Conservation section this year. Samuel Horton’s portrait was in very poor condition, mainly caused by water damage and an opened old seam in the canvas. Extensive treatment included removing the painting from its stretcher, paint consolidation, surface cleaning, joining and seam with linen thread and re-stretching. Similarly Elizabeth Horton’s portrait had severe distortions, tears and creases in the canvas, and it also had an opened old seam. Treatment included removal from stretcher, flattening distortions, extensive tear repair, surface cleaning, joining seam and re-stretching. • The Museum provides information to other institutions, the media and the public. Museum staff answer enquiries from members of the public, ranging from insect identification to collection enquiries and access requests to more general questions about the local region. • The QVMAG has continued to support the Tasmanian Government outreach initiative which offers advice to small museums and collections by providing a base for Arts Tasmania’s Roving Curator program. • The Museum has provided in-kind support for the Oral History Association of Australia in hosting and providing technical support for the association’s conference website. • The Museum regularly hosts work experience students for a number of local high schools and colleges. • Although the Planetarium itself has been closed its staff have continued to be an important source of astronomical information. For example, sunrise and sunset data is provided to newspapers and television stations and astronomical enquiries have continued to be answered. These include rising and setting times of the Sun and the Moon for legal investigations; requests for computations from people and organisations doing research; and general public enquiries about the night sky. Community Support The QVMAG continues to enjoy successful partnerships with a number of community organisations. Through these collaborations Museum patrons enjoy access to an enriched program of activities in and around the Museum precinct. These groups include: • The Royal Society of Tasmania • Musica North • The Launceston Historical Society • The Friends of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery • TAFE Tasmania • University of Tasmania • Arts at Work • Herpetological Society of Tasmania • Choose Employment • Arts Tasmania 8
Page 1 and 2: Queen Victoria Museum and Art Galle
Page 3 and 4: About the Queen Victoria Museum and
Page 5 and 6: Museum Highlights Activities • Af
Page 7: The Collections The Museum serves a
Page 11 and 12: Education The Museum’s Education
Page 13 and 14: Exhibitions Exhibitions, both Museu
Page 15 and 16: Corporate Support and Special Purpo
Page 17 and 18: of the evening was a talk made by t
Page 19 and 20: Staff * Denotes part-time staff Dir
Page 21 and 22: Museum Statistics 2007-2008 2008-20
Page 23 and 24: 1.4 The Queen Victoria Museum and A
Page 25 and 26: Mrs Helen Wing Plywood caravan used
Page 27 and 28: Appendix 4 Special Purpose Operatin
Page 29: March Sunday 1 Launch of new QVMAG

QUEEN VICTORIA MUsEUM AND ART GALLERY

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