General News
14 July, 2022
Museum upgrade to make a “world of difference”
Talbot Arts and Historical Museum is in for a big change with significant upgrades to happen thanks to government funding. The Arts and Historical Museum building, built in 1870 was initially the Primitive Methodist Church, but after it closed the...
Talbot Arts and Historical Museum is in for a big change with significant upgrades to happen thanks to government funding.
The Arts and Historical Museum building, built in 1870 was initially the Primitive Methodist Church, but after it closed the building became vacant for a period of time before becoming a Sunday school for another Methodist Church within the town.
In the building’s next life it became the Talbot annexe of the Maryborough Knitting Mills.
Knitted items in Maryborough were sent out in trucks and dispatched from annexe buildings.
In the late 70s into the early 80s the Knitting Mill had closed down leaving the building vacant once again.
The building was then hired out as a garage, with the flooring changed to concrete and the front door widened.
After another long period of vacancy the building then became the museum in 1983.
Many changes were made to make it fit for public use with oil stained concrete flooring becoming timber, the doors were returned to their normal format and broken windows were replaced.
The museum has now received $27,102 in State Government funding, the first part of which will be used to install a solar system and airconditioning in the museum’s main building.
Talbot Arts and Historical Museum Inc. secretary, Marion Miller said the funding is a boost for the museum.
“When the building was first built it had engineered ventilation to cool it in summer and pipe steam to heat it in winter,” she said.
“What we currently have is a 150-year-old bluestone building with no climate control at all.
“The clay soil in Talbot is very reactive — it dries out, shrinks, gets wet and expands, causing problems with the foundation, there is water permanently under the building to keep the clay stable making it constantly damp.
“It’s not a good thing as a museum to have things roasting in summer, getting down to freezing temperatures in winter and very damp conditions.
“It’s not a good mix for keeping photographs, documents and museum objects in good condition.
“We want to also protect our volunteers who currently put up with some pretty awful conditions at the height of winter and summer.
“It will also make it a highly amenable place for people who come to see it.
“We have people who will come and see it in the middle of winter, look around quickly and go outside to warm up.
“It will encourage people to spend a bit more time and interact with the museum, and our volunteers, who are incredibly knowledgeable.
“At the moment there are times where we feel that we’re not making the most of that potential, simply because the building is either unbearably hot or cold.”
Ms Miller said other parts of the funding will allow installation of an industrial standard dehumidifier, paving, a concrete pad and an interpretive sign.
“We’re getting adehumidifier for other areas of the building where airconditioning wasn’t practical,” she said.
“This is to deal with issues for things susceptible to dampness.
“We’re also taking the opportunity to get a new concrete path.
“We have four buildings and to get to two of those four buildings there isn’t a path.
“It can be difficult for visitors to get to the buildings and for us to move collection items safely between them, especially when we’re worried about slipping.
“We will get a concrete pad and an interpretative sign.
“We have mining equipment around the back that has never been on display which we want to bring around to the front for people to see with a sign to explain why it’s important.
“The restorations will make a world of difference for our visitors, volunteers and be so much more accessible.”
Work is also currently under way by volunteers to restore the picket fence surrounding the museum property.