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Installing the Kelly gang armour

The 4 suits of armour worn by the Kelly gang at Glenrowan in 1880 were on display together at the National Museum in Canberra for the first time outside Victoria in the exhibition Not Just Ned.

Armour worn by Ned Kelly, State Library of Victoria; armour worn by Joseph Byrne, private collection; armour worn by Dan Kelly and Steve Hart, Victoria Police Museum.

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Conservators work in the preparation room beside the gallery to prepare Joe Byrne’s armour for display. Each piece of armour weighs 10–20 kilograms

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Part of the breastplate from Joe Byrne’s armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — National Museum conservators Ainslie Greiner, left, and David Hallam mount the breastplate from Joe Byrne’s armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Conservators mount the breastplate from Joe Byrne’s armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Reconstructing the breastplate from Joe Byrne’s suit of armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — David Hallam inserts a custom-made mount into the helmet from Joe Byrne’s suit of armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Lowering the helmet from Joe Byrne’s suit of armour to sit above the breastplate

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Ugo Grasseli squares up to Joe Byrne’s suit of armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Ainslie Griener places a mount into the display case

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Joe Byrne’s helmet is lowered into place in the gallery

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — State Library of Victoria registrar Sarah Haselton adjusts the suit of armour which belonged to Ned Kelly

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Ned Kelly’s armour, as it greets visitors who stand before the display case in the exhibition Not Just Ned

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Ugo Grasselli works on a mount

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition.Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — David Hallam and Ainslie Greiner unpack the armour on loan from the Victoria Police Museum

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — David Hallam and Ugo Grasselli mount the armour which belonged to Dan Kelly and Steve Hart

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — A breastplate is attached to its mount

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Work continues in the preparation room

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Ugo Grasselli and Ainslie Greiner mount the armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Ainslie Greiner at work

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Ainslie Greiner and David Hallam carefully guide a helmet onto its mount

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — David Hallam checks the placement of a breastplate

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Staff carefully place another suit into its case, alongside Ned Kelly’s armour

Staff working on installing armoury for an exhibition. - click to view larger image — Staff put the finishing touches to the display case which will be home to the reunited Kelly armour for a few months

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