Even though we can’t get out to properly explore our city right now, the Australian National Maritime Museum is making sure we can find out heaps of fascinating facts we never knew about Sydney while we wait to get out and about again.
The new History@Home lockdown talk series pairs the museum’s expert curators with passionate guest speakers to deliver weekly insights into how life has changed in the city over the centuries. And you get to join in too, with each half-hour chat followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. You can register to take part here. Even if you don’t tune in live, you can stream the chats on demand via the museum’s YouTube channel.
First up on Tuesday, September 7, at 4pm as part of History Week 2021 is Shore of the Past? Surprising Short Stories from our Maritime Collections. Split into three short chats, you’ll be able to find out about the random 19th-century habit of naming children born at sea after the vessel that brought them to the colonies. You’ll also hear about Annette Kellermann, one of Australia’s first celebrity fashion labels that went off in the Roaring ‘20s, and oral histories of Portuguese colonisation, Indonesian occupation and the eventual liberation of Timor-Leste in 1999.
If your brain has been fried by some of the dialogue happening in social media comments right now, you might also be keen to check out Does quarantine really work? Happening at 4pm on Tuesday, September 14, you’ll be able to hear from medical historian Dr Peter Hobbins and UNSW epidemiologist Associate Professor David Muscatello about how the tactic has worked in practice across the decades, from smallpox to ‘Spanish’ flu, and SARS to our current predicament. Cap the same week off with The Great Big Pirate Quiz at 7pm on Friday, September 17 presented by the museum’s resident pirate Captain Grognose Johnny. With the rapid approach of International Talk Like a Pirate Day on Sunday, September 19, this one is sure to be a heap of silly fun with some facts smuggled in the hold.
While we’re on the subject of sea voyagers, Jack and Rose stans will want to set sail for Vintage fashion and the Titanic, led by assistant curator and historic clothing enthusiast Inger Sheil on Tuesday, September 21 at 4pm. Speaking of going down with the ship, Rediscovering the South Australian: a graphic tale of shipwreck on Tuesday, September 28 at 4pm looks at a disaster that happened in Encounter Bay in 1837.
Save our seas: how to secure the ocean’s future on October 5 at 4pm asks leading ocean experts for some inspiring ideas to make sure the big blue will still have history to give in hundreds of years to come. And last for now, with more events to come, is Smuggled – An Illegal History of Journeys to Australia on October 12 at 4pm. It will unpack the narrative around refugee arrivals and celebrate a rich history of how our nation has benefitted from the brave people who have come to us in their hour of need. You can find out more info about all the talks and their speakers here.
