Powerhouse Museum Collection Search 2.53
Category history:
   
User keywords, or 'tags', are words added to object records by other users to enhance their discovery. You can add keywords that may be useful in helping others find this object.

We are experimenting with tagging because sometimes museums describe objects in language that is highly specialist and user added keywords are useful in bridging the 'semantic gap' between the language of the museum and that of the user.

Any keywords listed have been added by other users like yourself. You can click on them to use them as search terms to dicover other objects. User keywords
Related themes
+ Ship Models
+ Aircraft Models
+ Anatomical and Botanical Models
Related subjects lists the broad themes that have relevance to the object you are viewing. You can click these themes to see other objects related thematically. Related Subjects
+ Transport
+ Model making
Models
From its inception in the 1880s the Powerhouse has collected ship, aircraft, mechanical, and medical models. They were acquired for their educational value in outlining developments in various branches of science and were essential for communicating unique design features, complicated physical information, or new developments in a particular area of study. This was all the more important in Australia where isolation meant it was often difficult to see specimens or full sized versions.

Their educational value has not diminished with time and the models remain important objects for illustrating cultural and historical trends in Australia. They are also important for more practical reasons. Real ships, trains and engines are subject to stresses of the daily work, rot and rust. Models are thus often the only examples to have survived. Their size also makes the display and comparison of their features much easier than would be the case with full sized originals.

Geoff Barker, Assistant Curator, April 2008

References
Marshall, Percival, 'The Model Engineer and Practical Electrician', London, April 29, 1937
Marshall, Percival, 'The Model Engineer and Practical Electrician', London, May, 27, 1937
Marshall, Percival, 'The Model Engineer and Practical Electrician', London, January, 27, 1938
Marshall, Percival, 'The Model Engineer and Practical Electrician', London, April, 14, 1938
Chalmers, A. Mar, 'The Model Engineer in Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne, January, 1939
Davison, G., Webber, K., 'Yesterday's Tomorrows; the Powerhouse Museum and its precursors 1880-2005', Powerhouse Publishing, 2005
Lavery, B. and Stephens, S., 'Ship Models; their purpose and development from 1650 to the present', Zwemmer, London, 1995
Subjects:
+ Transport
+ Model making

Copyright
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