History Week 2008 Events
The Discovery Centre is supporting History Week 2008 (6-14 September) with three signature events. A one-day training workshop, Investigating and Interpreting History for the Visitor, for volunteers of greater Sydney and regional NSW based cultural organisations; a public seminar on museum preservation and how to care for collectibles; and, to support the History Week 2008 theme ‘the water’s edge’, an illustrated lecture Catching it, storing it and moving it Water technologies in Australia from 1788 to 1950 presented by Graham Clegg, Conservator and rural collections advisor, at the Powerhouse Museum.
Monday 8th September 2008 ~ 10.00am-4.00pm
TRAINING WORKSHOP: Investigating and Interpreting History for the Visitor
This one-day workshop is designed to meet the needs of volunteers working with small or large collections and interested in communicating better with the public who visit their museums and/or historical societies. The workshop will include sessions on customer service and skills to effectively deliver programs for the public, techniques on researching and interpreting collections for diverse audiences, as well as providing an understanding of other cultures and the varying needs of different audiences. Presenters will include staff and volunteers of the Powerhouse Museum and the Powerhouse Discovery Centre, and special guests Cheryle Yin Lo of Cultural Connexions, and Margaret Helman of Margaret Helman and Associates. Presented as part of 2008 History Week. $25 per person or $20 (two or more bookings from the same organisation). Lunch included. Bookings essential as numbers are strictly limited.
Thursday 11th September 2008 ~ 6.00pm-7.30pm
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE: Catching it, storing it and moving it─Water technologies in Australia from 1788 to 1950.
Presented by Graham Clegg, Conservator and rural collections advisor, Powerhouse Museum.
The current drought has increased our awareness of the importance of water in a dry continent. This illustrated talk will look at some of the ways in which water was managed before the widespread access to reliable water supplies that many Australians now take for granted. The lecture will include references to the Sydney Tank Stream, a section of which was unearthed during the renovations of the Sydney GPO in Martin Place, and which is currently on display at the Powerhouse Discovery Centre as part of the Powerhouse Museum collection. Presenter Graham Clegg is a mechanical engineer with a background in pumps and rural and domestic water supply systems. Presented as part of 2008 History Week. The lecture will be followed by light refreshments. $15 / $12 concession and Powerhouse Members. Bookings essential as numbers are strictly limited.
Friday 12th September 2008 ~ 10.00am-2.00pm
PRESERVATION SEMINAR: Caring for your Collectibles
The Powerhouse Discovery Centre presents a day focused on how to care for and store your collectibles and family treasures. A team of Powerhouse Museum conservators will present a series of sessions covering a range of topics including how to start your own family scrapbook or archive; whether to ‘restore’ or ‘preserve’ collectible objects; and how to store and care for textiles such as wedding dresses and christening gowns. The day will also feature highlights tours of the Powerhouse Discovery Centre’s centrepiece, the Display Store, and a glimpse behind-the-scenes into storage areas not normally accessible to the public. Attendees are invited to bring along one object from their own collection for the conservators advice bank to examine offering advice on appropriate care and storage. This event is a preserving local history initiative presented in partnership with Baulkham Hills Shire Council as part of 2008 History Week. Morning and afternoon tea will be available. Please provide your own lunch. Free admission. Bookings essential as numbers are limited.
For further information or to make a booking please contact us on 02 9762 1300 or send us an email at castlehill@phm.gov.au.