1. Image: Burgundy velvet male jacket.

    'Afghan' jacket

    The jacket was given to Mr Frederick Budge of Farina, South Australia, by a Muslim (‘Afghan’) trader he knew who went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, at some time in the 1890s. 

    Collection Item | Southwest corner | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  2. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Americans in South Australia

    The first Americans who arrived in South Australia were whalers and seal hunters. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1880s, late twentieth century, Second World War

  3. Image: white cotton apron

    apron

    The apron was worn by Joan Mallen when she worked at the Cheer Up Hut on the banks of the Torrens, near the present Festival Theatre, during the Second World War. 

    Collection Item | Parklands | 1940s

  4. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Belarusians in South Australia

    The first significant wave of Belarusians arrived in South Australia as Displaced Persons (DPs) when Belarus anti-communist fighters, members of Belarusian Youth Union, military Belarusian (anti-Russian) units, pro-German Belarusian government organizations and others were in conflict with the Soviet Red Army.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1940s, mid twentieth century

  5. Image: rectangular glass bottle with green label

    Bottle

    Bottle of herbal lotion sold by Mahomet Allum. 

    Collection Item | 1940s, 1950s

  6. Image: hand drawn greeting card

    Christmas Card

    Hand-drawn Christmas card with the message 'Buon Natale'.

    Collection Item | 1940s

  7. Image: a man sits cross legged on a chair, holding a newspaper

    Elder Family

    Elder Family of Scots merchants and ship owners saw the infant South Australia as an opportunity to expand their business interests. Alexander Lang Elder (1815–1885), the pioneer, arrived in 1839 and established a trading business. 

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  8. Image: A group of Caucasian men with film equipment observe a conversation between two other men, one of whom is elderly and dressed in Afghan attire

    Film

    In October 1896, within one year of the Lumière brothers’ first public screening of film in Paris, the first public film screening in South Australia occurred at the Theatre Royal in Hindley Street

    Historical Subject | By Dylan Walker | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  9. Image: A tall gum tree stands near the bank of a river, which is visible in the distant background. The trunk of the tree is adorned with several small signs showing the year in which a major flood occurred and its water level height

    Floods

    Paradoxically, the only parts of South Australia to experience occasional serious disruption of by flooding are the far distant sparsely populated deserts around Lake Eyre

    Historical Subject | By CR Twidale, University of Adelaide | River Torrens | 1840s, 1860s, 1870s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 2010s

  10. Image: view from above of man amongst large pipes

    Improved sewerage system for Adelaide

    In 1881 Adelaide became the first Australian capital city to be connected to a water-borne sewerage system. 

    Historical Subject | By Corinne Ball, Migration Museum | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  11. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Indians in South Australia

    The first known Indian immigrants arrived in South Australia in the late 1830s

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 2000-2010, late twentieth century

  12. Image: Collection of seven tin and stone cottages at Murtho, South Australia

    Labour Settlements

    Labour settlements were created during the 1890s to trial collective ownership, new farming technology and the high unemployment created by the Depression.

    Historical Subject | By Brendan Moran | 1850s, 1890s

  13. Image: Seven bewigged and robed supreme court judges, seated and posing for photograph, 1915

    Legal Profession

    The evolving profession in South Australia retained some centuries-old practices.

    Historical Subject | By Peter Moore | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1980s

  14. Image: caucasian man sitting in an armchair tells a story

    Oral History 

    There’s a lot to talk about with history – while history doesn’t stop being made it, record it while you can

    Historical Subject | By Beth M Robertson | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, Great Depression, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century, Second World War

  15. Image: wooden post inscribed 'South Australia'

    Poeppel's Corner Post

    Wooden post used to mark the point where the boundaries of South Australia the Northern Territory and Queensland meet.

    Collection Item | 1870s, 1880s

  16. Image: protesters on King William Street

    Radicalism

    Radicalism has been inherent in South Australian history from its founding as a free settlement.  Based upon the English radical liberal thought of its founders, the State's reputation grew as a progressive colony and the first to entirely separate church from state.

    Historical Subject | By Brendan Moran | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1930s, 1940s, 1960s, 1970s

  17. Image: two bumper stickers

    Refugees

    In general refugees have enriched and diversified South Australia’s religions, universities and schools, food, the arts, newspapers, clubs and sports.

    Historical Subject | By Kate Walsh | 1830s, 1840s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  18. Image: large stone building

    Responsible Government

    South Australia gained a radical, and democratic, Constitution on 24 October 1856.

    Historical Subject | By Craig Middleton, Centre of Democracy | North Terrace | 1850s

  19. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Serbians in South Australia

    Serbians migrated to South Australia from the 1940s - 1990s to escape various forms of prosecution and have since established a wide community. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1990s, early twentieth century, Second World War

  20. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Slovenians in South Australia

    The first Slovenians arrived in South Australia in 1946. They emigrated as Displaced Persons from camps in Italy, Austria and Germany after Marshal Tito established a communist government in Yugoslavia in 1945.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1940s, early twenty–first century, mid twentieth century

  21. Image: Blue and gold embroidered smoking cap

    Smoking Cap

    Smoking cap owned and worn by John McDouall Stuart.

    Collection Item | 1850s

  22. Image: worn teddy bear with stuffing showing

    Teddy Bear

    A well-worn teddy who's not afraid to show the stuff he's made of. 

    Collection Item | 1910s, 1920s

  23. Image: gold chain with opal

    The Lady Mayoress' Chain

    Collection Item | 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  24. Image: two women looking at bombs

    The Second World War

    This major international conflict officially began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland on 3 September 1939. It lasted for six years, gradually increasing in scope and intensity as it blazed through Europe into Africa and Asia and on into Pacific Asia and the Americas.

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | 1930s, 1940s

  25. Torrens Title

    The Torrens title system for land ownership was inaugurated in South Australia  has led the world in the computerisation of real property title information.

    Historical Subject | By Peter Moore | 1830s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

  26. Image: People walking and others fishing with hand rods from a wooden jetty

    Tourism

    The South Australian Tourism Commission, established in 1993, focuses on marketing South Australia as a tourist destination to interstate and overseas markets.

    Historical Subject | By Lyn Leader-Elliot | North Terrace, Parklands | 1880s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

  27. Image: book cover in discoloured beige with purple writing

    Violet Verses

    The publication 'Violet Verses' was released on 29 June in 1917 as part of the third Adelaide Violet Day, organised by the Cheer-Up society as a fundraiser for the war effort. 

    Collection Item | 1910s