Step into Berrima District Museum to encounter the objects and stories that bring the district’s past to life. The present museum opened to the public in 1976 in a donated cottage moved from Moss Vale, after earlier displays at two other Berrima locations. At the research centre in Moss Vale, explore the library and archives for a family, a property or a question of your own.
Read about the museum’s beginnings · Explore the earlier museum displays
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Among the museum’s objects is a 1930s obstetrics kit belonging to nurse and midwife Naomi Oxley. Her daughter donated the suitcase and its contents, recalling a time when a midwife carried her equipment to births in family homes.
A well-travelled piano carries another story. Donated in 1978, it came with a family account that it had arrived from England in 1828. Society volunteers checked the shipping list and the maker’s records, discovering that this piano was finished in London in 1858 and shipped to Australia the following year. The surviving object and the research around it show how a family story can be refined as new evidence comes to light.
A picnic basket fashioned from a kerosene tin offers a glimpse of resourcefulness in the Berrima First World War internment camp. The Society has also presented film of life along the Wingecarribee River, where internees spent time during the day.
Other displays have brought the district closer through the tools and photographs of Bowral saddler Bill Oldridge, objects from the Badgery family’s Wanganderry homestead, and garden stories ranging from Louisa Atkinson’s botanical drawings to local landscapes. Displays change, so contact the museum to find out what is on when you visit.
Explore the piano’s history · Read Naomi Oxley’s story · Explore Berrima’s history · Browse historic photographs · Explore the Society’s exhibition information
The museum welcomes groups with a short introduction to the stories on display. Allow about an hour for a comfortable visit. The museum is on one level and is air-conditioned; public toilets and a covered picnic shelter are in the park opposite.
For group enquiries and bookings, call (02) 4877 1130. Ask about current group prices and any particular access needs when arranging your visit.
Society group visit information
Bring a class into the museum to explore objects and local stories with volunteer guides. The Society describes a primary-school visit built around small groups moving between exhibits, with a teacher’s guide and follow-up worksheets available. The Society’s published senior-school program has included local industries and the First World War.
Call the museum to discuss your class, current exhibitions, teacher resources, group size, prices and booking arrangements.
Bring your research question, the names and dates you already know, and references for sources you have checked. Contact the archives first if you need a particular holding, help with access, or arrangements for a group.
The Society can also undertake research at $40 per hour. Email [email protected] or call (02) 4872 2169 to discuss your question and request a quote.