History

Australia’s second-oldest museum, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG), has its origins in the collections of Australia’s oldest scientific society, the Royal Society of Tasmania, founded by Lieutenant Governor Sir John Eardley-Wilmot in 1843.

His successor, Lieutenant Governor Sir William Denison provided the society with rooms at the Legislative Council chambers in Custom House (now Parliament House) for use as a temporary museum and library in 1848.

To accommodate its rapidly growing collections, from 1852, the society leased premises in Harrington Street.

The first permanent home of the museum, designed in the Renaissance Revival style by colonial architect Henry Hunter, opened on the corner of Argyle and Macquarie streets in 1863–64, and the museum has gradually expanded from this corner to occupy the entire city block.

The Royal Society Museum became Tasmania’s state museum following an act of parliament in December 1885. The state’s first public art gallery was opened in May 1889.

The TMAG precinct is recognised as a historically significant site. Included is the Commissariat complex, comprising Tasmania’s oldest surviving public building, the 1808–10 Commissariat Store; the Bond Store, 1824–26; Courtyard and Watergate, 1826; and the Queen’s Warehouse, 1869–70.

The Private Secretary’s Cottage was built prior to 1815, possibly as an outbuilding for the Commissariat Store. It was originally adjacent to old Government House and converted to a residence for the governor’s secretary in 1829.

The precinct also includes Tasmania’s first federal building, the 1902 Custom House, designed with an elaborate Baroque Revival façade by Department of Public Works architect Orlando Baker.

The Custom House building includes some interesting statues, carved by Hobart sculptor Charles Watson in Campania stone. Two seated female figures, representing Britannia and Justice, together with the British Coat of Arms, are located at the building’s entrance in Davey Street, above the central portico.

Britannia on the right, is easily identified with her trident, shield and helmet. Justice on the left, is portrayed with a sword and raised arm, but missing her original pair of scales.

The female figure of Plenty, represented with a cornucopia flowing with agricultural bounty and a sheaf of wheat, is located on the roofline of the Dunn Place façade.

At the opposite side of the building, parallel to Argyle Street, is the male figure of Industry – a typical shearer, holding a pair of shears with a bale of wool by his side. An early version of the Australian Coat of Arms is carved into the pediment below.