Extract from ABC News
Bega woman Bernice Smith started collecting local artefacts in the 1950s, long before the museum was opened. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
In short:
Local historical societies are struggling to find volunteers post-pandemic with waning interest from younger generations.
The Federation of Australian Historical Societies is encouraging groups to focus on engaging with local schools and councils.
What's next?
An academic historian says upcoming generations are changing the way that history gets preserved and handed down, and existing venues must adapt.
Nita Quinn remembers the whole community coming together in the 1970s to create a local history museum on the NSW far south coast.
Residents in the Bega Valley volunteered their time to build sheds, lay carpet, paint rooms, and staff the growing museum.
"We were able to put one volunteer here in the morning and we could switch over to another in the afternoon. We had so many," the 95-year-old said.
Ms Quinn fondly remembers when the museum kitchen would be "overflowing" with volunteers at meetings. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
Nearly half-a-century later, the rooms of the Bega Pioneers' Museum are mostly quiet.
Visitor numbers are down, volunteer numbers are down, and the museum is losing $6,000 dollars a year.
Under such difficult circumstances, it has sparked talk of its closure and a sale of the building that houses a collection of around 30,000 objects.
The societies being lost to history
Federation of Australian Historical Societies president Christine Yeats said the Bega Historical Society was not alone in its challenges.
Historical societies in Port Stephens, Griffith, and Canterbury are among those which have closed in recent years.
The Federation of Australian Historical Societies represents around 1,000 historical societies across Australia. (Supplied: Christine Yeats)
"Every closure is a cause for concern," Ms Yeats said.
"It's an aging group who are managing the societies … and there's challenges trying to attract younger people."
Ms Yeats has encouraged historical societies to reach out to schools about education opportunities and teaching lessons, to advocate for a local history section in their community library, and improve marketing on social media.
"Once upon a time you could open up and say, 'Here we are, the local historical society'. But It involves more than that," she said.
"It means that we all have to rethink."
The front room of the Bega Pioneers' Museum used to be a takeaway shop which attracted visitors. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
Whose history is it?
Academic historian Ian Willis said there was a need to rethink how museums operated and how their audiences had changed since they gained popularity in the 1960s and early 1970s.
"That generation were really interested in preserving white Australian history," Dr Willis said.
Mr Willis says different generations and cultures choose the heritage they wish to preserve. (Supplied: Ian Willis)
"They will value a certain type of Australian history that doesn't appeal to different generations or those who have turned up in Australia in more recent decades."
Dr Willis said despite the declining appeal of local historical museums and the preservation of physical artefacts, he had noticed young people teaching history on online platforms like TikTok.
He recalled a time he watched a student give an account of the French Revolution in 30 seconds.
Many of the museum's artefacts have been donated by locals throughout the decades. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
"[Digital mediums] present an innovative environment where young people tell stories to each other in a fashion that people of my generation don't," he said.
"Local history is about storytelling and young people engage with storytelling.
"It's just finding a way of presenting the story in a fashion they relate to."
Volunteer Peter Rogers says it's a "good Monday" if he gets 8-10 visitors. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
The home to thousands of artefacts
The Bega Historical Society will decide the future of the museum at the end of this month.
Committee member Peter Ubrihien said he did not know where the thousands of artefacts in the museum's rooms would go if the building was sold or the collection downsized.
Mr Ubrihien says the museum is battling with the cost of upkeep of the building. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
"If it's dispersed well that's the end of the road for it," he said.
"Too much work's gone in over the years to get the collection together and look after it.
"We need the people through the door and a bit of money in the bank. If we can't do that, we're going to be in trouble."
Ms Quinn says she noticed a reduction in visitors and volunteers after the pandemic. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
For Nita Quinn its closure would be a huge loss.
"This is [the town's] history. This is what has been, and [we] show them how we used to do things," she said.
"I know the work that has been put into this and to see it go downhill it is very sad."
The Bega museum features a gallery of people from the town's history. (ABC South East NSW: Isla Evans)
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