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Chau Chak Wing Museum

Summary

The Chau Chak Wing Museum is a museum at the University of Sydney, Australia.[3]

Chau Chak Wing Museum
Map
Established2020 (2020)[1]
LocationUniversity Pl, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
CollectionsArchaeology, Art, Ethnography, Natural History
DirectorMichael Dagostino[2]
ArchitectJohnson Pilton Walker
OwnerUniversity of Sydney
Websitehttps://www.sydney.edu.au/museum/
The interior of the Chau Chak Wing Museum

It was formed by the amalgamation of the Nicholson Museum, the Macleay Museum, and the University Art Collection.[4][5]

History edit

The collections began with the Nicholson Collection of antiquities in 1860 and continued to grow to include the Macleay Collections of natural history, ethnography, science and historic photography, and the University Art Collection. The three collections were brought together under Sydney University Museums in 2005.[6] The museum is named after Chau Chak Wing, a Chinese-Australian businessman who donated $15 million for the building's construction in 2015.[7] Other major benefactors were Penelope Seidler, the Ian Potter Foundation and Nelson Meers Foundation.[7] The museum was officially opened on the 18 November 2020.[8]

In September 2023 it hosted the International Council of Museums Committee for University Museums and Collections Conference, "Truth-telling through university museums and collections".[9]

Directors edit

  • David Ellis (2020-2023)[10]
  • Michael Dagostino (2023-present)[10]

Building edit

The building is located on Camperdown Campus of the University of Sydney, opposite the Main Quadrangle and Fisher Library.[5] The building was designed by Johnson Pilton Walker.[11] The building is five-storey, with four levels of exhibition space with six main galleries: Ian Potter Gallery, Macleay Gallery, Nicholson Gallery, Penelope Gallery, Power Gallery, and the China Gallery. Indigenous Australian design features were incorporated design and landscaping of the building.[12] The forecourt incorporates a replica of a pre-invasion Aboriginal petroglyph of two wallabies originally located in Westleigh and the foyer prominently displays a Welcome to Country in the Sydney language.[12]

Construction of the new museum was completed in 2020.[5]

Collections edit

The museum has three main collections, the Macleay Collection, the Nicholson Collection, and the University of Art Collection.[5]

Macleay Collection edit

The Macleay Collection is the oldest natural history collection in Australia, originating in the cabinets of Alexander Macleay, and expanding through the collecting networks of the Macleay family from Charles Darwin to Sir Stamford Raffles.[13]

It contains historically rich collections of Aboriginal, Torres Strait and Pacific Islanders' cultural material, including objects collected on the early scientific expedition, the Chevert, and those collected in the early years of anthropology at the University of Sydney.[13]

The work of University of Sydney scientists is reflected in the collection of scientific instruments and apparatus used in research and teaching, and is part of the story of scientific practice in Australia.[13]

The Historic Photograph Collection records life in Australia and the Pacific region, from the late 1840s to the 1960s, as captured by both commercial and amateur photographers. It includes a wide range of photographic formats, reflecting the changing technology of photography.[13]

In addition, the Macleay Collections holds material reflecting the museum's history, including a significant library, furniture, documents and ephemera relating to the major collectors.[13]

Nicholson Collection edit

The Nicholson Collection contains nearly 30,000 artefacts representing ancient cultures from the Mediterranean, North Africa, Middle East and Europe.[14] Spanning from the pre-Neolithic to the late medieval period, these artefacts hold intimate stories of people’s everyday lives, ancient environments, and cultural activity for over more than 10,000 years.

The collection was founded in 1860 by Sir Charles Nicholson (University Provost 1854–62) with a donation of Etruscan, Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities acquired to establish a museum, "calculated materially to promote the object[ives] for which the [The University of Sydney] was founded." (Nicholson's letter of presentation, 1860).[14] By 1870, the University of Sydney's Museum of Antiquities included over 3,000 artefacts and had been nicknamed the Nicholsonian Museum.[14]

Over the past 160 years, the Nicholson Collection has expanded through ambitious acquisition programs, generous donation and private bequests. International excavations in Egypt, Cyprus and the Middle East, partly sponsored by the University of Sydney have also contributed significant objects to the collection.[14]

University Art Collection edit

The collection contains more than 8000 works including paintings, sculptures and ceramics.[15] Among the first donors was one of its founders, Sir Charles Nicholson, who gave some 30 European paintings, tapestries and sculptures in 1865.[15] The strength of the collection lies in Australian painting – including Indigenous art – as well as significant holdings in European and Asian art.

Current exhibitions edit

Past exhibitions edit

2024 edit

2023 edit

  • Australian Seashores[34]
  • Coastline[35]
  • D Harding with Kate Harding: Through a lens of visitation[36]
  • Instrumental 2[37]
  • Mikala Dwyer: Penelope and the Seahorse[38]
  • Object/Art/Specimen[39]
  • Sentient Paper[40]
  • Sherman Gift[41]

2022 edit

2021 edit

Awards edit

In 2021, the museum won the Museums and Galleries National Award (MAGNA) and two Museums Australasia Multimedia and Publication Design Awards (MAPDA).[51] The museum won the 2023 UMAC Award for its object-based learning program.[52] It is the first time the UMAC Award has been won by an Australian university.

Teaching edit

Internally the museum's object-based learning program aims to provide access to the collections to university students.[53] This has including increasing cross-disciplinary collaborations with parts of the university that did not traditionally engage with the collections, such as the University of Sydney Business School.[5][54]

Research edit

Egyptian-Australian community initiative edit

In 2022 the curators of the Nicholson Collection and our research partners from the Egypt's Dispersed Heritage Project, Heba Abd Al-Gawad and Alice Stevenson, invited members of the Egyptian-Australian community to a weekend long focus group to discuss the ways in which Egyptian heritage is interpreted and ways forward for participation.[55]

Egyptian stelae edit

This interdisciplinary project examines 20 ancient Egyptian stelae, made from limestone, pottery and wood that were produced and decorated between the New Kingdom (c.1500–1069 BCE) and the Ptolemaic Period (c.332–30 BCE).[56]

Excavating MacGregor edit

The first Administrator of British New Guinea, William MacGregor, made a significant collection of objects between 1888 and 1898, specifically for its future citizens. The aim of the project is to re-assemble and re-connect this material by 'excavating' its private and official components, focusing on the makers and traders to disentangle the social relationships embedded in the objects.[57]

Human remains research project edit

This research project seeks to understand better different public attitudes and responses to the display of human remains with a particular focus on museum visitors and Egyptian communities in Australia’s diaspora, in Egypt, and elsewhere.[58][59]

The Jericho Research Project edit

An ongoing research project to investigate the museum's holdings from Jericho in the West Bank.[60] The collection was obtained as the Nicholson Museum was one of the financial sponsors for Kathleen Kenyon's archaeological research in the region.[60]

Paphos Theatre Archeological Project edit

Ongoing excavations at the ancient theatre and surrounding environs of Nea Paphos that was the capital of Cyprus under the Ptolemaic and then Roman administrations.[61] The Paphos excavations are supported by the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens.[62]

Reconstructing museum specimen data edit

This project which examines trade processes to reconstruct and understand the mechanisms of natural history trade.[63]

Revision of the dottyback fish subfamily Pseudoplesiopinae edit

The Pseudoplesiopinae is a subfamily of small coral-reef fishes found throughout the Indo-Pacific. The study aims to determine species within the subfamily and investigate their phylogenetic relationships.[64][65][66]

Woodhouse Archive Flickr Project edit

In July 2017, the museum launched a crowdsourcing project to help identify and catalogue the Woodhouse Photographic Archive of glass-plate negatives taken in Greece during the 1890s and early 1900s.[67][68]

Publications edit

The museum has published a biannual magazine, Muse, since 2012.[69] The magazine has won design awards from Museums Australia.[70]

Other publications include:

  • Conway, R. (Ed.). (2021). Djalkiri: Yolngu art, collaborations and collections. Sydney University Press. ISBN 9781743327272
  • Ellis, David (2020). Director's choice. Chau Chak Wing Museum. London: Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd. ISBN 9781785511134
  • Fraser, J., Lord, C., & Magnussen, J. (Eds.). (2022). Speak my name: Investigating Egyptian mummies. Sydney University Press. ISBN 9781743328460
  • Stephens, Ann (Ed.). (2021). Light & Darkness: Late Modernism and the JW Power Collection. Power Publications. ISBN 9780909952020

References edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chau Chak Wing Museum.
  1. ^ Xiao, Alison (24 May 2018). "University stands by donor amidst UN bribing scandal". Honi Soit. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019.
  2. ^ "University appoints new Director, Museums and Cultural Engagement". The University of Sydney. January 25, 2023.
  3. ^ "A Museum in Australia Offers Special Glasses to Colour-blind Visitors". News18. AFP. 2022-08-23. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  4. ^ "$15 million donation to create new University of Sydney landmark museum". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  5. ^ a b c d e Simpson, Andrew (2023). The museums and collections of higher education. London ; New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-003-18653-3.
  6. ^ Ellis, David (2020). Director's choice. Chau Chak Wing Museum. London: Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd. ISBN 9781785511134.
  7. ^ a b "Benefactors". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  8. ^ NSW, Museums & Galleries; Gee, Jason (2020-11-02). "Chau Chak Wing Museum opens - MGNSW". Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  9. ^ "Past Annual Conferences – International Council of Museums Committee for University Museums and Collections". Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  10. ^ a b "University appoints new Director, Museums and Cultural Engagement". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  11. ^ "About us". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  12. ^ a b "Starting over embedding First Nations principles in a new museum". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Macleay Collections". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  14. ^ a b c d "Nicholson Collection". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  15. ^ a b "University Art Collection". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  16. ^ "Ambassadors". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  17. ^ "Ancient Cultures of the Middle East". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  18. ^ "Barbara McGrady: Australia Has a Black History". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  19. ^ "Chinese Toggles: Culture in Miniature". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  20. ^ "Crossroads". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  21. ^ "Hercules: Myth and Legacy". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  22. ^ "Impressions of Greece". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  23. ^ "Instrumental 3". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  24. ^ "Mediterranean Identities". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  25. ^ a b "The Egyptian Galleries". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  26. ^ "Natural Selections: animal worlds". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  27. ^ "Photography and the performative". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  28. ^ "Roman Spectres". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  29. ^ "Locations". Biennale of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  30. ^ "The Staged Photograph". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  31. ^ "Tidal Kin". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  32. ^ "Hayley Millar Baker Nyctinasty". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  33. ^ "Ömie barkcloth: Pathways of nioge". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  34. ^ "Australian Seashores". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  35. ^ "Coastline". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  36. ^ "D Harding with Kate Harding: Through a lens of visitation". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  37. ^ "Instrumental 2". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  38. ^ "Penelope and the Seahorse". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  39. ^ "Object/Art/Specimen". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  40. ^ "Sentient Paper". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  41. ^ "The Sherman Gift". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  42. ^ "Animal gods". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  43. ^ "Instrumental". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  44. ^ "Kamay (Botany Bay) spears: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  45. ^ "Light & Darkness". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  46. ^ "Pacific views". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  47. ^ "Sarah Goffman: Applied Arts". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  48. ^ "The Business of Photography". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  49. ^ "Daniel Boyd: Pediment/Impediment". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  50. ^ "Gululu dhuwala Djalkiri". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  51. ^ "Chau Chak Wing Museum wins three national museum awards". University of Sydney. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  52. ^ "UMAC Award – International Council of Museums Committee for University Museums and Collections". 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
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  54. ^ Wardak, Dewa; Razeed, Abdul; Thogersen, Jane; Guerry, Eve (2021). "Collaborating on a creative solution to teach creativity to Business students". Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education (Special Issue 22: Compendium of Innovative Practice): 1–6.
  55. ^ "Initiating an Egyptian-Australian dialogue at the Chau Chak Wing Museum | Egyptian Streets". 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  56. ^ "Egyptian stelae". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  57. ^ "Excavating MacGregor". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  58. ^ "Human Remains Research Project". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  59. ^ Baker, Jordan (2024-01-27). "Mummified body parts to be removed from Sydney museum amid intense global debate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
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  61. ^ "Paphos theatre". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  62. ^ "Paphos Theatre Archaeological Project". Paphos Theatre Archaeological Project. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  63. ^ "Reconstructing museum specimen data". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  64. ^ "Pseudoplesiopinae". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  65. ^ Gill, Anthony G.; Edwards, A. J. (1999-10-20). "Monophyly, interrelationships and description of three new genera in the dottyback fish subfamily Pseudoplesiopinae (Teleostei: Perciformes: Pseudochromidae)". Records of the Australian Museum. 51 (2): 141–160. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.51.1999.1302. ISSN 0067-1975.
  66. ^ Gill, A. C.; Edwards, A. J. (2004). "Revision of the Indian Ocean dottyback fish genera Chlidichthys and Pectinochromis (Perciformes: Pseudochromidae: Pseudoplesiopinae)". Smithiana Bulletin.
  67. ^ Richards, Candace (2023-11-23). "Unexpected legacies: The collections of classicist William J. Woodhouse (1866–1937), then and now". Journal of the History of Collections. doi:10.1093/jhc/fhad045. ISSN 0954-6650.
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  69. ^ "MUSE magazine and other publications". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  70. ^ Turner, Michael (2013). "MUSE wins prestigious design award". MUSE (5): 1.

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