AFTER a five-year closure and a major refurbishment, Australia’s only regional museum of antiquities is set to re-open to the public.
From Friday, February 14, visitors to the University of New England Museum of Antiquities will be able to enjoy the new, larger display spaces and lay-out that improve the presentation of more than 3000 items on display, while making the space mobility and disability friendly.
Making use of today’s technologies, each artefact is now accompanied by engaging and interactive digital experiences accessed through touchscreens, audioguides, and virtual and augmented reality to provide more information.
UNEMA’s curator, Dr Bronwyn Hopwood, says another important difference is the addition of more modern ethnographic collections to the traditional Classics collections.
“Two-thirds of the collection are classical antiquities, which traditionally relate to the ancient Mediterranean world, while the other third is ethnographic, covering the material culture of other historical people, places and times,” Dr Hopwood said.
UNEMA has been home to a substantial Classics collection since it first opened in 1959, and includes well-loved artefacts from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, including an Egyptian mummified foot and 3000-year-old Egyptian gazelle-leather sandal.
The Classics collection also contains the nationally-significant and impressive Cypriot Collection of pottery, mostly donated by eminent Australian archaeologists Professor James Stewart, the first Australian to lead an international dig, and wife Eve.
The collection covers the Stone, Bronze, Iron, Byzantine and Medieval periods of Cypriot history.
While the museum has been closed for viewing, the collection has continued to grow, guaranteeing a new experience for even the most seasoned UNEMA visitor.
“Over five years, the collection has grown by nearly 20 per cent, particularly during the COVID pandemic,” Dr Hopwood said.
“That means there are hundreds of new artefacts to be seen, as well as some old pieces that have never been on display before.”
UNEMA curator, Dr Bronwyn Hopwood, welcomes the public to the museum’s reopening on February 14.
On entry, visitors will be greeted with a brand new display space dedicated to temporary exhibitions, so there will always something new and exciting to see from the university’s collections, or a community collaboration.
While the museum’s reopening has been delayed not least due to the COVID outbreak and major storm event in 2021, there has been a huge collaborative effort behind the scenes to overcome the challenges and create a new and improved museum experience.
As well as cross-university collaboration, it has taken an army of hard-working volunteers to reach this milestone.
“Our volunteer group includes UNE staff and students and also members of the Armidale public who just have a love of museums,” Dr Hopwood said.
“They’ve been crucial to all stages of the project, from safely packing and unpacking the artefacts into temporary storage, to identifying new artefacts, researching and documenting their stories, measuring and moving artefacts and display infrastructure.
“They’ve also helped to install the displays and create the audio guides, endlessly proofreading and cross-checking the documentation on each artefact, and constantly updating data in the museum’s databases.”
Working with small grants, costs for the refurbishment were kept to a bare minimum in innovative ways, including by using UNE’s 3D printing lab to make, rather than buy, many of the display supports, labels and tactile displays.
Dr Hopwood says she is excited to be at the point of reopening the museum, and looks forward to it being enjoyed by visitors near and far.
“UNEMA is a fabulous resource. Nowhere else in regional Australia can you personally handle 5,000 year old artefacts from around the world and explore their stories as our students and volunteers are able to, while learning all the skills that go into collecting, conserving, researching, and displaying cultural material,” she said.
“UNEMA presents a fantastic opportunity to explore the lives of elite and everyday people from cultures both near and far throughout history.
“You have to go a long way to find anywhere else that has the same resources as we have on our doorstep, let alone have the opportunity to engage with them personally in a meaningful way,” Dr Hopwood said.
UNEMA Grand Opening
When: Friday February 14
Time: 4.30pm for a 5pm start
Where: Ground Floor, Arts Building, UNE Armidale Campus
Enjoy drinks and canapes and browse the exhibitions and new experiences.
This event is free, and not ticketed. Parking at the university is free from 4.30pm onwards.
