$200,000 to restore Armidale's Museum of Education
Media release | 2 November 2020
The NSW Government will provide $200,000 under its COVID-19 stimulus program for upgrades to the Museum of Education in Armidale.
The funding will improve facilities that better support the museum’s role as an education and tourism asset for the region.
“Huge congratulations to the new Trustees of the Museum of Education in Armidale (who have) just secured a $200,000 from the State Government to help restore the historic buildings on Kentucky Street,” Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall said.
"The new, enthusiastic community volunteers who stepped up to take over control of the area have made a great start to fully restoring the historical gem for the community and visitors to enjoy.
"Education has always and still does have a major role in the life of Armidale and this museum is a tribute to that and a window into how education has evolved in rural and regional NSW over the past 150 years.
"I look forward to seeing the Trust members get stuck into this enormous undertaking to restore the Museum of Education and I look forward to continuing to support their efforts."
The museum currently has no bathroom facilities to support visits and its historic buildings are in need of a spruce up.
The stimulus funding will allow for construction of a new amenities block and also support other repair and maintenance work at the museum.
Upgrades will allow the museum to better cater for education tours and programs for primary school children as well as support visits by the wider community and tourists to Armidale.
The museum and its historical school buildings provide a fascinating insight into a bygone era of education at the turn of the century.
The Museum of Education was founded over 60 years ago in 1954 and is built around a collection of three historic school houses.
These include the Dumaresq school from the 1880s, an 1883 school from Pallamallawa, and a 1948 portable classroom from Armidale High which are furnished with authentic period furniture, books, teaching aids and photographs.
There is also a 1959 replica of a travelling school which served as both a classroom and home for its teacher with a blackboard, stove and sleeping bunk.
Another feature of the museum is its fantastic collection of early school texts and publications which comprise about 6,000 volumes to provide an authentic glimpse of how our regional education system used to operate.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the COVID-19 stimulus funding is part of a $39.1 million package of Spring funding that was being applied to regional infrastructure projects across the State.
“The COVID-19 stimulus program is working to enhance important community infrastructure across the State, including in the New England, while supporting jobs, tourism and local economies in regional areas,” Minister Pavey said.
