The Museum is temporarily closed until further notice. Group bookings are available by appointment. Contact the Museum on 03 6430 5746.

Current Exhibitions

War Zone - 1 & 2

The Exhibition Includes Rare Black & White Photographs From New Guinea During World War 11

From the Private Collection Of Mr. Jack Rice.

Plus Significant World War 1 Artefacts Collected By 

The Late Mr. Davd Chalk. 

The settlement officially became Burnie in 1843, but until the early 1900's continued to be known as "The Bay" or "Emu Bay".

Emu Bay Inn The first Hotel in Burnie, or Emu Bay as the settlement was initially known, was the 'BIRNIE' TAVERN, built in 1847 and licensed to JOSEPH LAW. The name was changed to the BURNIE INN in 1851. Thomas Wiseman and his wife Harriet took it over in 1856. The Inn is now sited in Burnie Park.

The Dentist The march of technology has today removed much of the torture associated with this profession.

The Wash House 100 years ago, clothes were boiled in a cast iron copper in the back yard and washing was done in wooden or galvanised iron tubs. From 1900 the washhouse or laundry became an extra room or outbuilding erected with a cottage and wash troughs and wood fuel coppers were installed inside.

The Carpenter's Shop Carpentry is one of the oldest trades known to mankind and the basic carpenter's tools such as the saw, hammer, brace and plane have altered little in design in 2000 years. The technological advances of the 20th century have resulted in machines taking the place of many of the tools in this display, but the quality of the 19th century carpentry tools remains unsurpassed.

The Emu Bay Butter Factory This display illustrates the methods by which butter and cheese were manufactured by the pioneers. Dairying has for many years been the principal primary industry on the North West Coast. Early hand farm implements may also be seen in this unit.

The Wellington Times Printery The newspaper and printing office always played a prominent part in any pioneer community, as communications between other towns were often slow. Before television, radio and the cinema, the newspaper was the only source of news to the general public. This display illustrates a typical 19th century office.

Dudfield's Store and the Post Office Apart from church, the general store was the focal point for the pioneer population and the source of supply for the settlers' domestic and farm needs. Every department imaginable was represented.

The Saddler and Boot Maker Until about 1930 there was a saddler in every community because the horse was still the principal motive force in transport, agriculture and haulage. Before the turn of the century, boots and shoes manufactured in factories were hard to procure and of low quality, therefore boot making was also a profitable and necessary trade.

The Blacksmiths and Wheel-Wrights Blacksmithing and wheel-wrighting were very important trades in a pioneer community. The blacksmith shod horses, made farm implements, gardening tools, tyres for horse drawn vehicles and would manufacture in iron almost anything that was required. The wheel-wrights made all the wheels and vehicle frames and the blacksmith made the axles and iron hinges, springs and pins.

The Stage Coach Depot On 30 May, 1885, a macadamised road from Launceston to Burnie was officially opened and a coach service ran between the two centres three times weekly.