About

The Beechworth Burke Museum is one of Australia’s oldest museums, established as a memorial to Beechworth’s Superintendent of Police from 1854-1858, Robert O'Hara Burke (and leader of the Burke & Wills expedition in 1860-61). The museum site dates back to 1856, when a Young Men's Association was formed, leading to the establishment in 1857 of the Beechworth Public Library and Athenaeum, then re-named to Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum in 1863. Now more commonly known as the Burke, it combines traditional didactic exhibition settings, combined with modern technology and interpretative techniques to bring the visitor a unique perspective on Beechworth’s place in Australian History.

Our collection

The collection includes natural history specimens dating back to the 1860's (including the extinct Tasmanian tiger), a comprehensive collection of south-eastern Australian Aboriginal artefacts, many items relating to the discovery and mining of gold in Beechworth and the surrounding district, and material documenting local families and identities, including bushranger Ned Kelly.

Themes: Transforming and managing land and natural resources, Building towns, cities and the garden state, Building community life