Monday, March 23, 2009

Maritime Museum of Tasmania Launches New Layout and Exhibitions

Maritime Museum of Tasmania Launches Exciting New Layout and Exhibitions

The Maritime Museum of Tasmania launched its new exhibits and layout, that not only allow visitors to explore more of the collection but enables the Museum to host travelling exhibitions.

It is the first time in nearly ten years that the Museum has undergone major display changes and the result is an all round enhanced visitor experience.

President of the Maritime Museum of Tasmania, Colin Denny, said it's tremendous to see more of the collection on display.

"The new layout and renovations maximises the display space for our own collection while maintaining the integrity of the Museum," Mr Denny said.

"However, in the process we also wanted to create a separate gallery to bring national travelling exhibitions to the State for the first time," he said.

The changed layout features some significant new displays that Curator, Rona Hollingsworth, said trace the State's maritime history.

"This exhibition has a number of important new acquisitions, including the three metre long Tasmanian Aboriginal bark canoe built by members of the local aboriginal community," Ms Hollingsworth said.

"The canoe is the first exhibit visitors see when they enter the museum. It sets the scene for an interpretation of the State's maritime history," she said.

Other features of the new exhibition include a shipwreck display based around the wreckage of the 1847 barque Petrel which was uncovered on Hope Beach, South Arm, in 2006.

Also, the wheelhouse from the 1889 trans-Derwent ferry steamer Silver Crown has been restored by volunteers and installed to provide a unique interactive opportunity for visitors.

The Wooden Boat Photographic Exhibition in the new temporary gallery highlights Tasmania's wooden boat heritage and was drawn from the Museum's own extensive photographic collection.

The Director of the Australian National Maritime Museum Mary-Louise Williams launched the new layout.

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