On Saturday 24 January, M&G was thrilled to be invited to the opening of a new exhibition space and temporary exhibition A Camera on Gallipoli at the Berrima District Museum. The exhibition sourced from the War Memorial Museum’s collection focuses on soldier and surgeon Sir Charles Ryan’s candid photography of the Australian experience. Nearly 100 people gathered at the museum that morning to consider Ryan’s empathetic studies of mateship and stoicism, as well as the atmospheric singing of a charming RSL WWI Commemorative children’s choir.

But the star of the show was definitely Berrima’s new gallery space. At close to 100 square metres it represents a huge increase in space for this volunteer run museum and because it meets accepted standards for travelling exhibitions, it’s the first temporary exhibition space developed in a Southern Highlands museum. The number of locals who attended the launch of the space was testament to the community value of the facility for tourism and avid museum aficionado alike.

The project has taken years to develop. All the volunteers at the museum worked exceptionally hard to raise the money, receiving an Arts NSW Regional Capital Grant and raising the money within the Southern Highlands community to match the Government’s funding. Under the leadership of President Bruce Moor and volunteer fundraising impresario Harlan Hall, Berrima District Museum has achieved an extraordinary level of professionalism in the new space. Their example is one that we hope all community museums in NSW can learn and benefit from.

In April, Berrima District Historical Society will launch a new major exhibition – Southern Highlands 1200, which will be a major event for this vibrant volunteer run museum.

To learn more about the successful path to funding check out Harlan Hall’s The Rewards of Risk.

To get directly in touch with numerous funding representatives make sure you come to Access to Funding on 13 April.