Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 3 : Presscuttings, Sept 1959 - Sept 1967

,•, , I , · 1967 Brisbane, 0. W;.. ,,\1 / / - Technological museum Send in that old machine with ahistory By Staff Reporter PETER McCALL Q UEENSLANDERS wlll be asked tti aid In two ways, a plan to de ~lop a separate technol• oslcal museum - an -expanding section In the already crowded te museum. The committee, whic "Queensland Hall of Scie existence, wants material h "Any old machines lying the bottom of a paddock, are Museum Director (Mi. J. T. Woo .s· been formed to bring the Industry and Health" into n the form of exhibits. the house, in the backyard, or at what we need," the Queensland .aid. "Any type of outmoded equipment, anything which hu a history, is the type of thing we need, "Models of development, these things are a true re– flection or Queensland's technologlcaJ development. "With displays that we have recently acquired !n this field, we hope to whet the public'• appetite with a special exhibition In Au11- ust. "The August Exhibition wlll show the people or Queell6land Just whM the Technological Museum Com– mittee Is trying to establish. "This w!I! demonstrate t10me or the range or display Items or interest for the pro– jected mtLseum development. ·•we w!I! then ask the peorle of Qucell6Jand to aup– por our appeal to bring t.h!s museum into reel!ty." Govt.$$ llllllltllllllllltllltllllllll111111111Hlll111111tllllllll. The Committee Chairman Is Professor s. A. Prentice, or the Department or Elec– trical Engineering at the University or Queensland, who help found It In Nov- ei~;re!:~kft~~s· ror more ~~t~ns 10 :red~~e,:;i~~s oiram; committee. The Queell61and Museum la administered by the De– partment of Eduoot!on aJ1d th11a Government r,pproval IA required If money Is to be apent on new premises. The Museum development committee !• at present only Interested In having obJect.'l to display, · -:l finance to help in . oration, and bu!ldlng ed t!onal aids, in- clut!!ng a 1- ' ible planetar– ium, If they • .-e favoured by the Government. What she.pe the new Technolo11!cnl Museum Is likely to take Is unknown, as the whole Queen,Jand Museum ml11ht be relocated and the Technologlcal Mus– eum become Just another extension. The Museum I• already sharing sl)ltce at Its presen't Gregory Terrace location ~~I/er~~• Queens~ ~ommtttee wlll not be dragged Into any arirn– ment concerning the need for two separate museums (which have existed tn Syd– ney and Melbourne for more than 85 years). The suggestion that the New Farm Power House, which become• redundant tn 1973, could be the site for the new museum. or the re– location of the existing Museum. which hM con– centrated on the natural sciences, Is being treated bv the committee e.s more or a Government decision. However, the committee I• adamant on the need for an Increase In the area for the display of an artistic. historic. and scientific heri– tage, It's small Mr. Woods said thnt In America science museums were being generouslv sup– ported b.v tndustr:v · "Throughout the world At present there are tncree.slng public pressures for Im– proved and more diverse educational faclJltles," Mr. Woods said. "The QU'eensland Museum I• a small museum by world standards. "Progressive development. \\'Ith a widening or fields BRISBANE'S present Art Gallery and Museum, an historic landmark at the corner of Gregory Terrace and Bowen Bridge Road, near the Exhibition Ground. A new technology section is planned. or Interest, to be representa– tive or the pure and e.pplled science and the technologies or their e.ppllcat!on tn In– dustry, with special refer· ence to Queensland, would be In line with sci-ence trends overseas. "Such e. general science museum can play a vlln.l educe.tlonal role at primary, secondary. and tertiary levels. · "B·ayond this, It, can •sslst people or all age ~!gfJ'1~ 1 ~v~/t~~:clnt!~fenttPi~ and technological society or which they !01m a part. "It can aJso ~erve as a shop window portraying the Industrial development or tll'e State, and a major tour· l•~·&'A~rect~t~- Museum has been developed essentlaily tn the natural sciences, IL has acquired some Interest· Ing htstor!cal and techno• logical Items and has always displayed some of them. In" 1 n,e;~cen~1Jsear\./~t~;A stepped up and there Is now o. sl gnl!!cant historical and technological section existing ns a nucleus for future development. I Features of the AURUSt Exhibition wlll Include a newlv acquired dtsplay on the history or electricity, historic X-ray and camera equipment, a model oil dis· nlay and the original New Farm !Ire brigade. a slx- ::fJ"\h~lclf,\~i,umM;ont~~ !\bout 20 per cent Tech– no!Oj!!ce.J Exhibits at pres– ent.] "Material assistance Jn the acquisition or these col– lections Is belnR given to the Museum by the re- centlv constituted com- mittee or scientist.,, en- gineers, educationalist., and Industrialist.,, "The Committee ha• u Its princlpe.l atm the prn– rnotlon of museum develop– ment In Its fields or Inter– ests. Not new 11111111111n1111111111m11m1m1111111111m111111m1111 "Science museums are usuallv biased either to the natural sciences - the so-called natural history museums, or the physical nnd applied sciences and t.echnolOF:Y - the so-called museums or science and In– dustry or technoJOR!cal museums. "'n,e Idea of a genere.J science museum, aasoctatlng 1he oure and thn applied flrlds, ls not a ne-.v one. "One of the great advan– ta~es or a gentTaJ science museum Is Its e.vallabll!tv as a complement to formal science teaching In the schools. ••Many overseas l~~f~i':,~h!sh~~~lcea Ls~:]~: ally an elaborate optical projector which can demon– strate the movements or various heavenly bodies as they e.ppear at dirrerent limes and plactfi, ls "1~~:1~~se1t~1i~t~~~ Tu~ ther from the confines o h Is own planet the role o the planetarium In sc!enc te&cli!ng dot'S not need be streaaed. 'The Queensland Muaeu has undergone an acceler ated period of developmu1 in,,{,e~:n;.f;~[1}1c staff h been doubled, the appoint ment or a graduate educa tlon officer L~ expected t the near future and wll ensure closer liaison wit the schools e.nd an organ– ised educat!one.l programme, "Public response to the diversification or the dls– plRys has been most grat!fy- 111g, "I am confident that !I the Museum can continue tG move with the times, It wlll develop Into a tremendous educational as.5et for the Ste.te e.nd R vital public faeJllty," Mr. Wood• addtd