POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Photograph of Sydney Observatory

Object No. 2013/23/12-98

This photographic print is from an album of mainly 'tourist' photographs of Sydney and New South Wales. It provides an interesting insight into the types of images collected in the 1890s and early 1900s. At the time increased leisure and improved transport combined to bring holidays within the reach of most working people. Photographic studios such as that of Charles Kerry in Sydney built up profitable businesses commissioning and selling views of interesting and significant tourist destinations. In her album Emily Marsh has put together a significant collection of these commercial images and what appear to be amateur works. It is also part of the Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS) collection which was donated to the Powerhouse Museum in 1981. The Society was formed in 1901 and is the oldest historical society in Australia. As a result many of the objects it collected are of great significance to Australia and to New South Wales. Some are associated with people and families like the Marsdens, Henry Parkes, Mawson, and John Verge. Others, like the convict handcuffs, and the Ben Hall Wanted Poster, are significant relics from Australia's past. The importance of the entire collection and the way in which it was acquired adds to the significance of this object. Kimberley Weber, Curatorial, 2005 & Geoff Barker Curatorial 2012 References Alan Davies,An eye for photography: the camera in Australia, 2004