Exhibition program

Developing and presenting exhibitions are key functions of the National Museum of Australia, as specified in the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. This year, the temporary and travelling exhibitions program continued to be strong, and included content that supports the Museum’s core themes of land, nation and people.

In 2011–12, the Museum delivered six temporary exhibitions and toured nine travelling exhibitions.

Temporary Gallery

Not Just Ned: A True History of the Irish in Australia
(17 March – 31 July 2011)

This fascinating exhibition revealed the extraordinary influence of the Irish in Australia, from the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, to the continuing influx of young Irish backpackers today. From politics and religion to industry, art, music and dance, the Irish have had a far-reaching influence on Australia.

On display were more than 450 objects, large and small, from public institutions and private collections in Australia, Ireland, the United States and New Zealand. An interactive iPad installation enabled visitors to listen to oral histories, poetry, songs and stories.

A New Horizon: Contemporary Chinese Art
(30 September 2011 – 29 January 2012)

The Museum was proud to be the exclusive Australian venue for A New Horizon: Contemporary Chinese Art, a powerful and important exhibition of contemporary Chinese art from the National Art Museum of China.

A New Horizon featured more than 70 paintings, sculptures and new media installations created since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

Some of China’s leading contemporary artists were represented, including Qian Songyan, Shen Jiawei and Liu Xiaodong, with works divided into three sections: New China (1949–1977), New Thinking (1978–1999) and New Century (2000–2009). The artworks reveal the developments that have taken place in Chinese art over the past 60 years, and mirror the significant social changes in China during that time.

Travelling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World
(31 March – 29 July 2012)

The Museum partnered with the American Museum of Natural History, New York, to present its exhibition, Travelling the Silk Road. The Museum was the only Australian venue for this exhibition, which allowed audiences to step 1000 years back in time to experience the sights, sounds and stories of the greatest trading route in history.

The exhibition featured remarkable dioramas, fascinating interactives and impressive artefacts. Audiences were transported on a thrilling journey along the legendary Silk Road, exploring the ancient cities of Asia and the Middle East over six centuries.

First Australians Focus Gallery

Yalangbara: Art of the Djang’kawu
(7 December 2010 – 25 September 2011)

Developed in partnership with the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Yalangbara: Art of the Djang’kawu is an exhibition of captivating artworks by the Marika family from north-east Arnhem Land, exploring the journey of the Djang’kawu ancestors. The exhibition includes works produced at the Yirrkala mission in the 1930s, rare crayon drawings commissioned by Dr Ronald Berndt, monumental barks from the 1950s, and a series of contemporary prints, fibre items, barks and carvings. This exhibition is now touring Australia, with venues confirmed in Darwin and Perth.

Off the Walls: Art from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Agencies 1967–2005
(28 October 2011 – 10 June 2012)

Off the Walls explored the world of Indigenous art, and the politics and history of a time of great change. It featured works by internationally renowned artists including Rover Thomas, Narritjin Maymuru and Fiona Foley.

These works, now in the collection of the Museum, literally came ‘off the walls’ when the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was closed. The collection was built over 40 years by government bodies dealing with Indigenous affairs. The exhibition featured a selection of striking paintings, prints and carvings placed back in the office and displayed alongside documents to help give a glimpse of a fascinating and tumultuous time in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs.

The exhibition also included a searchable database with records for thousands of the objects from the collection.

Studio Gallery

Inside: Life in Children’s Homes and Institutions
(16 November 2011 – 26 February 2012)

Inside: Life in Children’s Homes and Institutions featured the words, voices and objects of the Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants and those who experienced institutional care as children. About half a million children spent time in children’s homes and institutions, mostly run by state governments, charities and churches from the 1920s to the 1980s.

Inside examined how children were committed to ‘care’, what it was like to grow up on the inside and reactions to the Australian Government’s 2009 National Apology to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants. This exhibition was supported by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

In 2011–12, nine exhibitions travelled to a total of 23 different venues (with one venue hosting more than one exhibition) across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.

Of these venues, 10 were in metropolitan areas and 13 were in regional areas, and they attracted a total of 753,387 visitors. Yiwarra Kuju: The Canning Stock Route, From Little Things Big Things Grow: Fighting for Indigenous Rights 1920–1970, Symbols of Australia and Yalangbara: Art of the Djang’kawu were national travelling exhibitions supported by the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program or Visions of Australia, Australian Government programs aiming to improve access to the national collections for all Australians.

National and international travelling exhibitions, 2011–12

Number of exhibitions at venues, 2001–12