Friends of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery upcoming events

Annual General Meeting 2026 (28 Sep 2026)

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:30:00 GMT

Friends TMAG Annual General Meeting

We warmly invite you to attend our Annual General Meeting. Hear about what the Friends have been doing over the past year -- and we have some surprising and exciting news to share with you.

Affter the brief formalities, we are delighted to welcome our guest speaker, Dr Eleanor Cave, TMAG Deputy Director, Research and Collections. The title of Eleanor’s talk is A big-picture view of developing our State Collection, and she will explore how decisions we make today shape the stories and objects in the State Collection. She will take a strategic look at our diverse and magnificent collection exploring how strategy, planning, and policies work together to support it, including discussion of our next steps in collection development.

We’ll provide morning tea at the conclusion of the meeting.

Don’t be nervous about attending the AGM. The formalities take very little time, and since our constitution doesn’t allow nominations from the floor, you won’t come away with an unanticipated place on the committee.

This is of course a FREE EVENT. We look forward to seeing you!

A botanical walk at the Waterworks (06 Oct 2026)

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

A botanical walk at the Waterworks

Tuesday 6 October, 10am

Shelter 9 at the Waterworks,

Waterworks Road, Ridgeway

Staff members from the Tasmanian Herbarium have very kindly offered to take the Friends on a botanical walk at the Waterworks to see what we can find. We’ll learn about the function of the Herbarium and what has to be done to preserve collected specimens.

We will walk a short distance around the Waterworks — wear sensible shoes and bring a hat, but you won’t need any specialised bushwalking gear.

The walk and talk aspect will run for about an hour. You are then welcome to stay for morning tea. As we aren’t able to provide hot drinks, bring your own liquid refreshments and we will put on the food.

Shelter 9 is about 900 metres from the reserve entrance. There is ample parking, undercover seating and toilets close to the shelter. The section of track nearby is easy walking. This event will go ahead regardless of the weather.

Because numbers are limited to 30, this event is for Friends members only. We recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.

Cost: $25 per person

BYO thermos and cup, and we will provide a generous morning tea.

Please email us if you are gluten free or have other dietary requirements.

What's love got to do with it? (15 Oct 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 23:30:00 GMT

What's love got to do with it?

Some convict connections across our collections

Thursday 15 October, 10.30am

Royal Society Room, TMAG

(entry via Davey Street)

Tho’ time may pass and years may fly

and every hope decay and die

and every joyful dream may set

yet thee I never can forget

So often our collection items are studied for their scientific research potential, or their aesthetic nature, design, form and function, but part of the role played by the team in Cultural Heritage is to understand the human connections and stories associated with the State Collection.

During this talk, Dr Jody Steele will highlight just a few of the convict era connections that weave their way through the Cultural Heritage collections of numismatics, history, archaeology and documents. With a brief foray into the realms of some of her colleagues in decorative art, fine art and the sciences as well, Jody will share some of the stories of life, love and loss hidden behind the labels.

OUR SPEAKER

Jody Steele is the Head of Cultural Heritage at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. She has 25 years of experience working across all facets of heritage including archaeology, built heritage, collection management, exhibition design, and interpretation. She has worked across Tasmania, nationally and internationally, but has called Tassie home since 2004. An archaeologist by training, Jody’s passion to understand and share the past has remained an integral part of every one of her professional roles.

This is a FREE event, and you are welcome to bring non-member friends. For organisational purposes, please let us know you are coming.

All the fires come alive (19 Oct 2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

All the fires come alive

Uncover arcane knowledge, ritual, and alchemy in the collections of State Library and Archives of Tasmania

Monday 19 October, 11am

State Library and Archives of Tasmania
Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts
Ground Floor, 91 Murray Street

Curators Theia Connell and Jane Stewart will talk about the exhibition All The Fires Come Alive. At its heart is Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy, first published in the 1530s. This remarkable book remains one of the foundational texts about western esotericism.

From there, the exhibition steps into mystical worlds where spirits, incantations, and shadows are illuminated through art and books.

This is a FREE event. Numbers are strictly limited due to space considerations, so this event is open to Friends members only.