The South Australian Museum is commencing a major conservation and cultural care program for its Pacific Cultures collection, ensuring significant pieces are preserved for future generations.
Many important cultural items in the Pacific Cultures Gallery have been on display for decades and require essential specialist conservation for their long-term preservation.
Work is being delivered in partnership with the Pacific Islands Council of South Australia (PICSA) and Pasifika community leaders, ensuring cultural knowledge, authority and protocols guide the care and stewardship of ancestral objects.
Museum visitors are encouraged to come in before the end of the month to see this important conservation project as it begins.
Conservation work in the Pacific Cultures Gallery will begin shortly, with the gallery scheduled to close to the public from Monday 3 August. Objects will be carefully packed and documented in collaboration with Pacific communities and Artlab Australia.
Ongoing community access to Pacific collections has already commenced, including the creation of high-resolution 3D digitisation in partnership with Flinders University. This work will support community, researcher and public access during the closure of the gallery.
Other Pacific collections previously in storage will also be accessible by the public through temporary community-led displays in the coming months.
An enhanced Pacific Cultures Gallery will be reopened after the completion of the conservation program with stronger community voices, storytelling and broader representation of Pacific cultures.
While conservation work is underway, the gallery space will be activated with national and international touring exhibitions, supporting new visitor experiences.
The conservation program forms a key part of the Museum’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2030, announced in December 2025, in response to the South Australian Museum Review.
Long-term care of globally significant collections is a strategic priority. Meanwhile, the activation of the space will support bringing more science, learning and cultural experiences to South Australians.
Image: PICSA Board Member and PNG Community Leader Fred Ovia, Museum Director Dr Samantha Hamilton and PICSA CEO Rosanna Maualaivao MacDonald in the PCG
Comments attributable to South Australian Museum Director, Dr Samantha Hamilton
Our conservation and preservation project is being undertaken in consultation with Pacific communities and will include appropriate cultural authority, protocols and ceremonies as objects are packed, documented, conserved, and temporarily removed from display.
The community will have the opportunity to access other Pacific collections currently in storage, including objects that have not been seen or accessed by the public before. These objects will also feature in upcoming community co-designed pop-up displays.
Community collaboration will inform new displays, new storytelling, public programs, and activations, both within the Museum and in community settings.
The Pacific Cultures Gallery will be enhanced as a permanent display, with new stories, stronger community voices and contemporary interpretation developed over the coming years.
We look forward to soon sharing news of the first of the temporary exhibitions that will be hosted in this space later this year.
Comments attributable to PICSA CEO, Rosanna Maualaivao MacDonald
We are proud to see our Pasifika communities leading this vital project. The PICSA Board, our youth delegation, and key cultural leaders have met with Dr Samantha Hamilton to establish a unified path ahead for the Pacific Cultures Gallery.
The leaders and cultural custodians of our Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Māori communities are directly driving the cultural protocols, care, and next steps for their respective ancestral items and Tumbuna treasures.
True partnership means ensuring our communities hold direct agency and an unmediated seat at the table. We are thrilled to be working in lockstep on this transition, which includes immediate opportunities for our young leaders to co-design and co-curate upcoming temporary displays.
This is the beginning of a long-term journey rooted in mutual respect, cultural authority, and shared storytelling.
Comments attributable to PICSA Board Member and PNG Community Leader, Fred Ovia
Papua New Guinea has along-standing association with the South Australian Museum, and the stories and displays reflect this enduring relationship.
The Papua New Guinea community is deeply appreciative of the work undertaken by community members more than 20 years ago. Their contributions have played a vital role in shaping the displays we see today, and the continued preservation efforts are essential to ensure that future generations can continue to learn from and appreciate this rich cultural heritage.
The conservation and preservation project undertaken by the museum, in partnership and consultation with Pacific communities, is of paramount importance.
It ensures that the artefacts on display are protected and maintained for the enjoyment and education of future generations. Papua New Guinea is proud to be part of this ongoing initiative over the next three years.
Having visited the museum, we have gained a much better understanding of the importance and necessity of this work. It is both encouraging and appreciated to be included in discussions and to contribute to this significant project.
While many of the artifacts remain strong others — such as masks, headdresses, the major canoe, and the hut display — require considerable conservation efforts. This specialised work can only be effectively carried out by experts in the field of preservation and conservation.
