Great Sporting Land
20 August 2019
Today Google Arts & Culture launched Great Sporting Land — the first dedicated celebration of sporting culture on Google Arts & Culture. Collections, stories and knowledge from over 30 renowned institutions across Australia, including the National Museum of Australia, have been brought together.
The online exhibition features over 11,000 archived images and videos, and more than 100 original stories that celebrate the unifying spirit of this sports-mad nation. Now people around the world can explore the tales and traditions, larrikins and legends of our great sporting nation.
Sport in Australia is the National Museum’s third online exhibit with Google Arts & Culture. It explores some of our great sporting moments and what they reveal about our nation.
From the bat used by Sir Donald Bradman in the first Test Match against England during the 1934 Ashes series to Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s 1980 Wimbledon trophy, the Sport in Australia online exhibit features objects from the Museum’s collection that represent triumphant or remarkable moments in Australia’s sporting history.
National Museum Director Dr Mathew Trinca said, ‘Google Arts & Culture allows the Museum to share objects from the collection in new and interesting ways on an interactive and far-reaching digital platform. Online exhibitions open up our collections to people from across Australia, and the world.
‘Australia has a strong sporting culture and as a result the Museum has many stories to share of Australia’s victories and sporting endeavours. I am pleased to have our third Google Arts & Culture online exhibit explore these accomplishments through the objects in our collection.’
Curator of Sport in Australia, Joanne Bach, said, ‘Many of the objects we’ve featured belonged to well-known sporting stars, but it’s the lesser known objects or stories that I find most fascinating.
'Royce Hart is a legend of the Richmond Football Club and while his collection is full of trophies and awards, my favourite item is his first contract. Dated 1965, it is typed on club letterhead and announces that, in addition to a modest weekly payment, the club will buy him a suit, six shirts and a pair of shoes for his new job. Quite different from today’s football contracts!’
Sport in Australia covers cricket, cycling, motor racing, horseracing, tennis, rugby league, football, netball, Australian Rules football and the Olympic Games. The online exhibit is now available to view as part of Great Sporting Land or through the Museum’s Google Arts & Culture page.
About Google Arts & Culture
Google Arts & Culture puts the collections of more than 2000 museums at your fingertips. It’s an immersive way to explore art, history and the wonders of the world, from Van Gogh’s bedroom paintings to the women’s rights movement and the Taj Mahal.
The Google Arts & Culture team has been an innovation partner for cultural institutions since 2011. It develops technologies that help preserve and share culture and allow curators to create engaging exhibitions online and offline, inside museums. Read about its latest projects on the Google Keyword blog.
Explore Great Sporting Land on Google Arts & Culture or by using the free app on iOS or Android.
Media contact: Diane Morris, 02 6208 5497, 0436 030 741 or media@nma.gov.au
