Audio on demand

A tribute to pioneering desert archaeologist Dr Mike Smith. Speakers June Ross, John Mulvaney, Barry Cundy, Giles Hamm and Chris Turney reflect on their time teaching and working with Mike, and the developing field of desert archaeology in Australia.

Artist Jo Bertini talks about her portrait of her friend and colleague, desert archaeologist Dr Mike Smith. Jo also outlines Mike’s great passion for desserts, and presents a book of dessert recipes compiled by his friends.

Dr Mike Smith’s former colleagues investigate the layers of Mike’s career, discussing digs through which Mike developed his knowledge of the human past in Australia, and how museums have contributed to mainstream knowledge of desert archaeology.

Artist Mandy Martin reflects on her work with desert archaeologist Dr Mike Smith. Mandy and Mike worked together in multi-disciplinary teams studying the Puritjarra rock shelter in the Northern Territory and Paruku, or Lake Gregory, in north-eastern Australia.

This session reflected on the speakers’ travels by camels and in four-wheel drives as well as work with Dr Mike Smith in deserts and museums as well as the partnerships Mike formed with artists and Indigenous communities.

An overview of the work required bring a rich collection of hundreds of objects from a family museum at an historic grazing property into the National Historical Collection.

Our Museum conservators outline principles to help you care for your own items such as photo albums and wedding dresses. These principles include stable, suitable environmental conditions, good handling practices and correct physical storage for items.

Following a welcome to country, Alisa Duff outlines why Warakurna was so unique as a community and how the paintings and sculptures are not just art, they recreate scenes of everyday life and to tell historical and contemporary stories.

Listen to members of the Conservation team here at the National Museum give a practical demonstration on how to care to the special medals, trophies and silverware that you have at home.

Listen to members of the National Museum Registration team discuss the documentation, photography, uplift and transport that was needed to make the Saw Doctor’s wagon, now on display in the Main Hall, a part of the Museum’s collection.