My favourite item

In this episode we peel back the layers of a stunning black dress to learn about 1890’s fashion, how Queensland women have been leading the fashion pack for over one hundred years and the intricacies of the conservation process with textile conservator and curator Dr Michael Marendy. The dress is showcased in the Miegunyah House Museum’s virtual exhibition and tour ‘High Society’, supported by a Brisbane City Council History grant. Want to see this item? Miegunyah House Museum, home to the Queensland Women’s Historical Association, is located at 35 Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills. Although the museum is currently closed due to COVID-19 we encourage you to visit the museum website (miegungyah.org) to learn about its future events, read information on its collection or view this virtual exhibition. With special thanks: Dr Michael Marendy, Textile Conservator and Curator Miegunyah House Museum Queensland Women’s Historical Association, Know something more about this item? Post a comment! History is a shared experience and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music and sounds: Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Image: Courtesy of Miegunyah House Museum and Queensland Women’s Historical Association. This image is not be used without permission.

A Distinct Devotion to Duty Continuing our legal theme, in this episode of ‘My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we sit down and talk with Lisa Jones, Curator, Queensland Police Museum. Lisa’s favourite item peels back the layers of an officer’s life and his tragic death. Want to visit? The Queensland Police Museum is located at Police Headquarters, Ground floor, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. It is open 9am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday and the last Sunday of the month (February to November). Visit their website (police.qld.gov.au/museum) to find out more about the museum’s education program, lecture series, group tours and their new Augmented Reality Crime Scene App. With special thanks: Lisa Jones (Curator) Queensland Police Museum Know something more about this item? Post a comment! History is a shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Queensland’s heritage. Music: Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Image: Image: Portrait of John Patrick Kearney (PM3379). Donated by John Kearney (grandson) 6 July 2010, Queensland Police Museum Collection.

In this episode of ‘My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we visit the Supreme Court Library Queensland (SCLQ) to speak with Katee Dean, Heritage Collections and Research Officer. Katee’s favourite item isn’t made of horse hair or silk, but involves a grassroots community led campaign to save the Northern Supreme Court. Want to visit? SCLQ is located on level 12, Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law, 514 George Street, Brisbane. It is open 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (closed public holidays). Free exhibitions can also be viewed in the library’s exhibition space, the Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre, on the ground floor. Education staff can provide a free guided tour of the building and any current exhibitions and displays for groups of 5 people or more. Visit their website (sclqld.org.au) to find out more. With special thanks: Katee Dean, Heritage Collections and Research Officer Supreme Court Library Queensland (SCLQ) Know something more about this item? Post a comment! History is a shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Queensland’s heritage. Music and sounds: Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Image: T-shirt, c. 1970s, Supreme Court Library Queensland, Legal Heritage Collection.

In this episode of ‘My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we sit down with Trooper Nigel Cox in the ‘Mess’ at the historic Victoria Barracks. Nigel’s favourite item tells a multi-faceted story about rugby league (and that ‘never say die’ maroon spirit), World War II and one heavy piece of trench art. Want to visit? The Army Museum South Queensland is located in the Victoria Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane. The museum offers a fully guided tour (with silver service Devonshire Tea!) at 9.30am every Wednesday—you may even be lucky enough to meet Nigel in person! Make a tour booking via their website (armymuseumsouthqueensland.com.au) With special thanks: Trooper Nigel Cox, Major Murray Nelson and the Army Museum South Queensland. Know something more about this item? Post a comment! History is a shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music and sounds: Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Stephan Schutze, Large Stadium (soundbible.com/1724-Large-Stadium.html), CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

The first episode of our second season involves an item that tells a momentous story in both Australian and world military history. This item has a significant connection with the final hours of a highly intelligent and well-traveled naval officer who meticulously planned the attack on Pearl Harbor. He believed, ‘To die for Emperor and Nation is the highest hope of a military man’, which was indeed his fate on 18 April 1943 near Bougainville, Territory of New Guinea. Want to visit? The MacArthur Museum Brisbane is located in MacArthur Chambers, 201 Edward Street, level 8. The MacArthur Museum is currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, but when it reopens it is open on Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays from 10am to 3pm (entry costs vary). For more information visit their website: https://mmb.org.au With special thanks: John Wright, Managing Director, MacArthur Museum. Know something more about this item? Post a comment! History is a shared experience and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music: Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Image: Marshal Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Public Domain

Season 2 is on the way! Can you work out what musuems and hertiage places I've visited for Season 2? Listen to the clues and write your guess in comments section. Music Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed.

Welcome to the final episode of Series 1! In this episode of ‘My favourite item: unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we visit the Diamantina Health Care Museum to find out what President, Mrs Claire Lees, loves to show visitors. Searching for a hint? It’s the largest item in their collection! Want to visit? The Diamantina Health Care Museum is located in the oldest building at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, the Dispenser’s House, which was built in 1909. It is located in Building 5 (off Cornwall Street), Princess Alexandra Hospital, Annerley. Its opening hours are 11am-2.30pm (Wednesday), 12-2pm (Sunday) or by appointment. Off street paid parking is close-by. The Princess Alexandra Hospital Bus Station or Dutton Park Train Station are in easy walking distance. With special thanks Diamantina Health Care Museum President, Mrs Claire Lees. Know something more about this item? Post a comment! Moments in history are shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed.

In this episode of ‘My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we sit down with Bill Kitson, retired Senior Curator of the Museum of Lands, Mapping and Surveying, who helps us understand the story behind a special topographical map from their collection. Want to visit? The Museum of Lands, Mapping and Surveying is open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:00pm. It is located on the Ground floor, 317 Edward Street, Brisbane. With special thanks Mr Bill Kitson, retired Senior Curator of the Museum of Lands, Mapping and Surveying. Know something more about this item? Post a comment! Moments in history are shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Image Topographical Map covering the mouth of the Brisbane River, 1 October 1889. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. Map is available here: https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/historical-topographic-map-series-queensland/resource/6d910827-b053-4eba-ae54-ffea4a943380

In this episode of ‘My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we go backstage (literally) of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre Museum. There are so many beautiful items in this museum’s collection that Exhibitions Manager Maria Cleary, found it hard to choose! But, they all relate back to a family who hold a special place in the Brisbane theater industry. Want to visit? Items from the Queensland Performing Arts Centre Museum collection is displayed in the Tony Gould Gallery. The Gallery is located on the ground floor of the Cremorne Theatre and is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Admission is free. With special thanks: Queensland Performing Arts Centre Museum, Exhibitions Manager, Maria Cleary. Know something more about this item? Post a comment! Moments in history are shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music: Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed.

In this episode of ‘My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we sit on the pew in the St Andrew’s Uniting Church with Noel Adsett, Chairman of the Heritage Committee of the Church Council of St Andrews, who shares with us the many stories contained with a special space. Want to visit? St Andrew’s Uniting Church is open Monday to Friday, 11am to 2pm. A guide is on hand to help you uncover the history behind this beautiful building. A biography of Rev Dr Ernest Merrington, complied by Noel, can be found here: http://heritage.saintandrews.org.au/rev-dr-ernest-northcroft-merrington/ With special thanks: Mr Noel Adsett, Chairman of the Heritage Committee of the Church Council of St Andrews Know something more about this item? Post a comment! Moments in history are shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music: Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Image: Gallipoli, Turkey, 1915. Chaplain Ernest Northcroft Merrington (right) conducting a communion service for members of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade at the "Apex"; National Collection of the Australian War Memorial (CO4178); Public Domain.

In Episode 1 of ‘My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece’ we visit the Racing Archive to find out what Thoroughbred Racing History Association President, Mr Peter Howard, chose as his favourite item. Searching for a hint? It involves a prize that was won by a very special Queenslander that Phar Lap’s trainer Tommy Woodcock said was, ‘A great horse. A bulldog in a finish and too brilliant for Phap Lap in a sprint.’ Want to visit? The Thoroughbred Racing Museum and Archive is located across two sites. The Museum is located at Eagle Farm racecourse (entry via Nudgee or Lancaster Roads) and is open Wednesday, 10:30am-2:00pm. The Archive is located at Doomben racecourse (entry via Hampden Street) and is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10am-2pm. Both sites are also open by appointment. With special thanks Thoroughbred Racing History Association President, Mr Peter Howard. Know something more about this item? Post a comment! Moments in history are shared experiences and helping museums find out more about items in their collection is a great way to become involved in documenting Brisbane’s heritage. Music Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed.

My favourite item, unraveling Brisbane’s history piece by piece asks the city’s curators, volunteers and passionate historians to choose their favourite item within their collection and tell its story. Each episode will glimpse inside a different cultural heritage collection and discover how an item can reveal information about our past, present and perhaps our future. It all starts with a single question—what is your favourite item? Music Aliaksei Yukhevich, Light Corporate, jamendo.com, Licensed. Connect with us