The Collection

Newcastle Museum collects, preserves and interprets objects for and about Newcastle in an innovative way to inspire, entertain and engage.

There are over 12, 500 objects in the Museum’s collection, including significant large items such as the St Augustine’s pipe organ and The Buck steam engine, both on display in the Link Gallery. We have a broad collection that is designed to help us tell the diverse stories of Newcastle from massive industrial history machinery like the BHP ladle to nationally significant objects from our sporting greats, delicate one off dresses to comprehensive collections like the Royal Newcastle Hospital collection and from fossils to Commodore 64s.

Specialised curatorial staff maintain the Museum’s collection as well as manage donations that define the city and the region. These objects are generously donated by members of the community and are accepted if they satisfy the terms of the museum's Collection Policy.
Newcastle Museum works to ensure these objects will be preserved for the benefit of future generations as well as our contemporary visitors.

Critical to the value of the objects are the stories that are associated with them. These stories help us understand why and how we do things now. In this way, the collection acts as a benchmark showing change within our society.

Collection Policy

The Museum has a Collection Policy which outlines its approach, selection criteria, themes and objectives.

 Newcastle Museum - Collection Policy (pdf)