MAWSON’S HUT REPLICA MUSEUM CLOSES IN RESPONSE TO UNPRECEDENTED CORONAVIRUS SITUATION
22 MARCH 2020
One of Hobart’s most iconic and popular visitor attractions will be closed until further notice, said David Jensen AM, the Chairman of the Mawson’s Huts Foundation.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we have made the difficult decision to close the Mawson’s Hut Replica Museum until further notice. It would not be appropriate to keep the Museum open given the unprecedented threat of the Coronavirus. We will always put the safety of our staff, volunteers and visitors first and unfortunately that means shutting down until the situation in Tasmania improves so that we can play our part in minimising risk to the community,” Mr Jensen said.
“We look forward to re-opening as soon as possible so that we can continue to showcase and share Tasmania’s unique Antarctic heritage and celebrate Sir Douglas Mawson’s outstanding contribution to science and research.”
For media enquiries, contact Brad Nowland – 0439 614 893
Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum
The Museum was built to raise funds for the ongoing conservation of the historic buildings at Cape Denison which were used as the main base for the 1911-14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE)
Standing on the Hobart waterfront just 200 metres from where Mawson’s expedition departed from in 1911, the Replica also serves as an educational facility and promotes the legacy of the AAE.
Opening Hours
Ticket Prices
Location
Corner Argyle & Morrison Streets
(Opposite Constitution Dock)
Hobart TAS 7000 Australia
Authentic in its origins
It is a replica in every sense of the word. Heritage carpenters, who worked at Cape Denison on the conservation of the huts, took hundreds of photographs and measurements which were faithfully used to create the replica.
- Every saw cut and corner mirrors the original.
- The Baltic Pine cladding and flooring was sourced from the same region in Scandinavia as the material provided to Mawson in 1911.
- Exactly the same dimension and tongue & groove cut.
- Imported into Australia by the same Melbourne merchant that supplied the original expedition over 100 years ago.
Situated on land generously provided by the Hobart City Council (HCC), the Replica Museum was constructed off-site in an area provided by the Tasmanian Ports Authority. Construction was done in three sections to allow transportation to the current site where it was bolted together for the final fit-out.
After years of securing funding and the support of the HCC in providing a site, work on the Replica began with the assistance of a special grant of $350,000 from the Federal Government in 2011 and the generosity of many Tasmanian businesses and individuals who donated time, goods and goodwill.
Construction took just four months and it was officially opened on December 2, 2013 on the 102nd anniversary of Mawson’s departure from Hobart as leader of the AAE.
Volunteers
Volunteers are essential for the success of the Foundation, which values and respects their skills, generosity and knowledge along with the intellectual contribution they make.
It is their work, alongside our staff, that has taken the Replica Museum to the exalted position of the No 1 Museum in Hobart on TripAdvisor.
Acknowledgements of Excellence
Since opening, the Museum has received several awards.
Tasmanian Tourism Awards
The Museum received a silver and bronze award on the two occasions it has entered the awards.
TripAdvisor
Awarded Hall of Fame in 2019 for receiving the Certificate of Excellence for 5 consecutive years. TripAdvisor also ranks the Museum as: one of the Top 25 Museums in the South Pacific; No 1 out of 18 Museums in Hobart; and No 3 out of 140 Things to Do in Hobart.
