The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) was officially established by the Royal Society of Tasmania in 1848, but its collections had existed independently for several years beforehand.
The museum was in rented premises until 1861, when the government provided funding for a permanent building on the corner of Argyle and Macquarie Streets in Hobart. Architect and civil servant Henry Hunter was hired to design the building after he won the Royal Society’s architectural contest.
The building was completed in 1862, and TMAG expanded over the years to eventually occupy the entire block.
In 1888, the Royal Society transferred the museum to the state government.
TMAG closed for a four-month period in 2013 to undergo redevelopment. It currently receives thousands of visitors per year.
Tas That Was is a column that includes:
- anecdotes of life in Tasmania in the past;
- historical photographs of locations in Tasmania; and/or
- documentaries about locations in Tasmania.
If you have an anecdote or photograph you’d like to share with us, please send it to [email protected].
Callum J. Jones studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania. He has written fiction and non-fiction for Tasmanian Times since 2018. He can be traced by the smell of fresh coffee.
Follow him on Twitter (@Callum_Jones_10) and Facebook (@callum.j.jones.creative).
