Orange Regional Museum turns one year old

21 November 2017

Orange Regional Museum reached a significant milestone over the weekend and there’s 36,000 reasons to celebrate.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said the Orange Regional Museum opened its doors 12 months ago and had been just as popular week in and out.

“That’s the number of people through the doors in the first 12 months, which is excellent,” Cr Kidd said.

“That’s 36,000 people who have experienced the history of the central west, engaged in a learning program or attended one of the interactive events such as a movie night, or went to a floor talk.

“Those visitors have been locals and people travelling from across the state.

“The numbers have been bolstered with the combination of the Orange Visitors Information Centre and the Groundstone Café in the same building.

“And what an iconic building it is.

“It’s an Orange landmark to be proud of.”

Orange City Council’s Services Policy Committee Chair Cr Kevin Duffy said more than 1,500 students had been through the museum in a school group and participated in one of the many school education programs run by museum staff.

“School students have come from as far as Parkes to participate in the programs,” Cr Duffy said.

“They often come here and spend the whole day in our cultural precinct.

“They come for a show in the Orange Civic Theatre, participate in a museum program then head to the Orange Regional Gallery and finish with a workshop and a story at Orange City Library.”

The Orange Regional Museum now has 714 objects in its permanent collection, 469 of those have been acquired since the museum opened on November 19, 2016.

During the last 12 months the museum has hosted eight temporary exhibitions including a Shackleton display from the Australian Maritime Museum, photos from the Holtermann Collection and Waste 2 Art.

“The current exhibition Journey; People, Place, Stories has been a hit with visitors with the 1926 Chevrolet called Emma a favourite of many,” Cr Kidd said.

“This exhibition has about 60 objects and the next exhibition, Paddock to Plate, already has about 300 so we’re incredibly excited for its opening in April.

“That’s one of the best aspects of Orange Regional Museum, it isn’t static, and it isn’t quiet.

“It’s fun, it’s loud, it’s for children and adults alike and like many contemporary museums, our objects change and exhibitions change.”

FIRST BIRTHDAY: Museum turns one year old - Photo by Corey Masters