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Hear audio description and exhibition labels for key objects in the Mr Squiggle and Friends exhibition. For visitors with additional vision needs.

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

1. Opening title graphic

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00:00 / 1:22
A black and white rectangular panel showing a hand-painted galaxy. The outerspace scene has a moon towards the left and Earth on the right. Beside the moon is a rocket ship attached to a sliding panel.
Opening title graphic, 1959. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

2. Pistol and dagger in box and Pistol Packin’ Momma costume designs

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00:00 / 2:40
Left photo: A hinged wooden box with black prop pistol, silver bullet and dagger. The dagger blade is silver and the handle is painted with red and yellow stripes. Right photo: Water colour painting for a costume design. The scene depicts two cowboy figures, one is firing a gun with a cork the other stand with his stands on his belt.
Left: Pistol and dagger in a box, 1942–1945. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia
Right: Pistol Packin' Momma costume designs, 1942–45. The Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

3. Improvised stage

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00:00 / 1:20
A diagram of a stage sketched in black pen on white paper. The sketch depicts a stage formed by two trucks for dressing rooms, drums and a piano, with boards on petrol drums for the main stage.
Improvised stage, 1942–43. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

4. Cameo theatre

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00:00 / 1:23
A watercolour painting depicting soldiers watching a screen in a makeshift outdoor cinema surrounded by palm trees. Handwritten in the bottom right corner is 'CAMEO THEATRE. / JACQUINOT BAY.'.
Cameo Theatre, Jaquinot Bay, New Britain 1945. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

5. Dragon and Sir Giles puppets

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00:00 / 2:16
Two string puppets. Left is a puppet of a knight called Sir Giles. He has a white moustache and is wearing silver armour, red and yellow pants, and a purple and silver cape. He is holding a sword in one hand, the other holds a shield decorated in black, white, green, yellow and blue. The right puppet is a smiling dragon. Dragon is bigger than the knight. The dragon is painted green with a yellow stomach and red nails.
Sir Giles in armour and Dragon, 1973. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

6. Stage backdrop

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00:00 / 1:31
Large hessian backdrop depicting a castle in the background with six spires and a tower. The castle is surrounded by mountains and sits against a blue, purple and green sky. In the foreground are rolling hills, a tree, flowers, rocks and a route marker.
Backdrop from The Reluctant Dragon, 1950. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

7. Nicky and Noodle puppets

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00:00 / 2:22
A photo of two string puppets. Right is a puppet of a boy named Nicky, he has bright orange hair and is wearing a green short sleeve shirt, brown shorts and a red and yellow tie. On his legs are green socks and yellow clog-like shoes. Left is a wooden puppet of a dog called Noodle. Noodle has a black, brown and white painted body, felt ears and green felt soles attached to its feet. Noodle has green painted eyes and a red felt tongue.
Nicky and Noodle, 1950s. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

8. Whale, Starfish Trumpeter and Octopus puppets

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00:00 / 3:21
Left: A marionette of a black whale with green eyes. The whale’s mouth has red lips and white triangle shaped teeth. Middle: A marionette of a pink and orange starfish with a green nose and two large red cheeks. At the top of the starfish is a tuft of white ribbons that look like hair, and in its left hand is a silver and gold trumpet. Right: A marionette of an orange octopus and a white moustache wearing a yellow hat. Accompanying the puppet are plastic balls in blue, green and pink.
Whale, Starfish Trumpeter and Octopus, 1950s. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

9. Gus the Snail puppet

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00:00 / 1:43
A puppet of a snail named Gus. Gus has an orange body, a tuft of black hair, orange and yellow antennas, brown eyes and a pink felt tongue. Attached to its back is a television box with two knobs, a screen featuring an image of Gus’s head surrounded by a gold frame, and printed text that reads ‘GUS/TV’. Attached to the top of the television is a yellow flowerpot with a red flower, sitting atop a doily.
Gus the Snail, 1977. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

10. Mr Squiggle, Blackboard and Rocket puppets

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00:00 / 4:04
Left: Mr Squiggle puppet with blue hair and a pencil for a nose. He is wearing a yellow pinafore with a red bow around the neck, green and black striped sleeves and leggings. He has white gloves, and yellow clog-like shoes that curve at the toes. His nose is a large red pencil with a piece of black oil pastel inserted at one end. Attached to his head is a long tapered green and black striped hat. Middle: A blackboard puppet with two legs at the bottom and strings attached at the top. The board features a face with a blue frame and two protruding pegs. There is a string attached to the mouth which opens outward. Attached to the legs are orange painted shoes with white pom-poms and green felt on the bottom. Right: A puppet of a rocket ship. The rocket is silver decorated with black, orange and white paint. It has green and white tubing and wires, one of the tubes attaches to a felt umbrella. The rocket also has a small circle window with a black frame.
Mr Squiggle and Blackboard, 1959; Rocket, about 1975. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

11. Bill Steamshovel puppet

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00:00 / 1:31
A puppet named Bill Steamshovel, in the form of an excavator. Bill Steamshovel consists of a red, yellow and green wooden control room connected to which are foam tread tyres and a foam neck. At the end of the neck is a red and yellow excavator head with a checkered hat and hair made from strands of black rubber. Tied around the neck is a red and white handkerchief.
Bill Steamshovel, 1962. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

12. Squiggle sketch

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00:00 / 1:41
A finished squiggle on pink paper glued to card. The squiggle features an octopus wearing a cap, swinging a ball between two tennis racquets held in two of its tentacles.
Squiggle sketches, 1959–90s. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

Mr Squiggle and Friends 15 Jun 2025

13. Norman Hetherington's suitcase

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00:00 / 1:34
A photograph of Norman Hetherington’s suitcase which he took to the studio when recording. The suitcase is brown with a leather handle and two lockable metal latches. The contents of the suitcase is: three books, a brush, four plastic containers and contents, an electrical cable, fishing line, a folder of riddles, gloves, two hats, a hook, painting equipment, puppet parts, five repair kits with various contents, ropes, two cardboard signs, three bandanas, a piece of fabric, two tins and contents, a toy flute, two umbrellas and various other components for the repair of puppets.
Norman Hetherington’s suitcase, 1959–90s. Norman Hetherington collection, National Museum of Australia

More on accessibility

Visit the Mr Squiggle website for more on accessibility and events.

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