The ‘relics’ of history have been housed in museums for hundreds of years. Museum Victoria was officially started in 1854 by British colonialists who collected items deemed to be significant to the nation’s identity, culture, and education. 

Today the tradition of acquiring and housing what is significant to the nation’s culture continues but it’s performed by representatives of the broad Australian public, in the form of historians, scientists, and indigenous consultants, collectively known as curators. 

While Phar Lap is one of Museums Victoria’s most famous relics, it’s the succession of three Phar Lap curators that we explore in this podcast.  Their research and interpretation has allowed the stories of Phar Lap to be gathered, authenticated, understood, preserved and enjoyed.

Curating the curators, Dr Andi

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The three curators, left to right: Eddie Butler-Bowdon (photo by Jon Augier) | Elizabeth Willis (photo by John Broomfield) | Michael Reason (photo by Andi Horvath)

Show notes

Interviewees

Elizabeth Willis – Curator Emeritus
Eddie Butler-Bowdon – Program Manager, Collections, at the City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collections
Michael Reason – Curator, History and Technology, and Phar Lap’s present-day ‘cultural strapper’

Production

Dr Andi Horvath – Senior Curator, Museum Victoria
Arch Cuthbertson – Podcast Recording Services