First Nations Collections
Discover the richness and diversity of First Nations cultural material and objects in the collections.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections
The Australian Museum (AM) has one of the world’s most-significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collections, with artworks, technologies and cultural material representing First Nations communities from across Australia. A selection of these objects are on display in Garrigarrang (Sea Country). However the majority of the collections are carefully stored in collection storage.
The First Nations Division at the AM works actively to build links with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to ensure the objects held in our collections are always available to Traditional Owners, to activate our collections through programs that provide connections with living cultural practice, and to deepen public understanding of Australia’s First Nations cultures.
We actively repatriate material from our collections to Indigenous cultural centres and keeping places and collaborate directly with communities to return significant cultural objects and ancestral remains to their places of origin. On the First Nations Restricted Collections and Repatriation Program’s page you can find more information on this.
If you have specific enquiries regarding the First Nations’ cultural and/or archaeological collection you can contact us at first.nations@australian.museum.
If you are looking to reproduce images from the AM’s First Nations collections that hold Indigenous cultural knowledge, depict cultural activities, cultural materials or people including cultural content of First Nation communities, these images most likely contain Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) and require you to provide the AM team with ICIP support or approval letters from the relevant community or cultural authority in order for us to consider your image request. This should preferably be done prior to submitting an image reproduction request.
More information on process of licencing images from the First Nations collections can also be found on the following page: Australian Museum images and licensing - The Australian Museum. Or for further First Nations collection images related and image licence fees, you can also email us at first.nations@australian.museum.
Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) refers to the rights Indigenous Peoples hold over their heritage and culture. This includes cultural heritage and knowledge recorded in works held in the Australian Museum collections.
The Australian Museum recognises and upholds First Nations People's ownership of their ICIP within our collections and actively collaborates with Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and communities to provide access to these collections, and the Museum has implemented its ICIP Protocol in 2019.
Relevant First Nations Communities or cultural authorities need to be consulted prior to any access to collection information or before images are supplied , licenced and reproduced. This is in line with the Australian Museum’s ICIP protocols.
The Australian Museum’s commitment to our Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) protocol will imply that image requests from the Australian Museum’s First Nations collections will need to be approved by the relevant cultural authority in the community or supported through existing collaborations the enquirer has established with that community.
In cases where copyright is held externally on works held in our collections, the Australian Museum needs to see proof of copyright permissions to use, before the image is supplied.
The AM prioritises facilitating access requests from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members or Indigenous researchers to access information or requesting physical access to the First Nations cultural and archaeological collection. Other requests by other stakeholders will be assessed and is pending on the team capacity to address and/or facilitate.
The Australian Museum greatly appreciates requests to donate items to our cultural collections, however, new acquisitions are subject to a rigorous process of assessment and review to ensure they represent the best possible fit with our existing collections and priorities. Read more about donation of cultural objects on this page: Cultural collection donations - The Australian Museum
Please submit your enquiry relating to donations to the Ask an Expert team via the online form for consideration.
Cultural objects
If you are considering donating cultural objects or art works, made by First Nations makers, to the AM’s First Nations collection please consider the above. Detailed information about the provenance of objects greatly assists us in assessing a request to identify or consider donations of First Nations cultural material. Or in some cases we are advise an alternative destination, such as an Aboriginal Keeping Place or a regional museum on Country.
Archaeological finds
If the item is found in situ (in the ground) please leave it and contact the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Department, The Office of Environment and Heritage. To report harm to Aboriginal items or sites call the Environment Line on 131 555. If the item was found in a National Park, it would be best to inform them of the find. To check which NSW Local Aboriginal Land Council is best to contact for advice please go to: https://alc.org.au/land_council
Please do not send archaeological objects or cultural material through the mail or arrive at the Museum’s reception as we will not identify or assess your objects.
