Migration Museum, Adelaide

The Migration Museum in Adelaide is a social history museum dedicated to exploring the immigration and settlement history of the state. Operated by the History Trust of South Australia, the museum stands as the oldest institution of its kind in Australia, having opened its doors on November 23, 1986, following its establishment as a state government initiative in 1983.

The museum is located on Kintore Avenue, nestled between the State Library of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, and the University of Adelaide. It occupies a complex of early colonial bluestone buildings, set around a courtyard, that historically served as the city's destitute asylum from 1850 to 1918. Before this, the site was home to the "Native School," where British authorities attempted to educate Aboriginal children as part of their broader colonial agenda.

The Migration Museum's mission is to promote cultural diversity and multiculturalism, which it defines broadly to encompass ethnicity, class, gender, age, and regional identity. Through its permanent and rotating exhibitions, the museum tells the diverse stories of South Australians, focusing on the legacies of migration, colonization, and their impact on both settlers and First Nations peoples, particularly the Kaurna people, who originally inhabited the land.

A key feature of the museum is its Memorial Wall, established in 1992, which acknowledges the various communities that have sought refuge in Australia, allowing migrant and refugee groups to commemorate their histories publicly. Another prominent feature is Settlement Square, which symbolizes the arrival of numerous families and individual settlers to South Australia. The museum also houses a Reconciliation Plaque, recognizing the Kaurna people's connection to the land.

The Migration Museum offers a robust program of activities, including educational initiatives for school groups, public events, and family-friendly activities. Through these efforts, the museum works towards a world free of racism and injustice, celebrating cultural diversity and addressing the complex histories that have shaped contemporary South Australia.