We talk to curator Nat Williams, Research Fellow Stephen Zagala and Fijian women Talica and Naomi about Pacific cultures, material objects, relationships and whether objects have meaning.

Celebrate the SA Museum's 165th birthday with Wonders from the South Australian Museum, on until August 8th 2021. 

This episode is made possible by the Department of Energy and Mining.

009 Wonders: Wasekaseka - Fijian Whale Tooth Necklace

We interview Dr Andrea Crowther, Senior Collection Manager of Marine Invertebrates, about symbiosis, beautiful sponges and tiny shrimp.

This episode is made possible by the Department for Energy and Mining. Our Wonders from the South Australian Museum exhibition is on until August 8th 2021.

Jake Holmes's Album

010 Wonders: Venus Flower Baskets

This episode features Mark Pharaoh, Polar Collection Manager at the South Australian Museum, telling the epic story of Sir Douglas Mawson's journey across Antarctica.

This episode is made possible by the Department for Energy and Mining. Audio production is by Jake Holmes, theme song by Peter Saunders, and Kaurna welcome by Uncle Michael O'Brien.  Our Wonders from the South Australian Museum exhibition (featuring Mawson's signature balaclava) is on until August 8th 2021.

012 Wonders: Mawson's balaclava

Last episode we listened to Mark Pharaoh's exciting story of Mawson's journey across Antarctica. This week we're getting stuck in the ice with SA Museum's Dr Peter Shaughnessy.

This episode is made possible by the Department for Energy and Mining. Our Wonders from the South Australian Museum exhibition (featuring Weddell seal parasites and other items from Antarctic expeditions) is on until August 8th 2021.

013 Wonders: Stuck in the ice

This episode features Dr Alessandro Palci, Honorary Researcher at SAM and Research Associate at Flinders University. We talk about using CT scans to reconstruct ancient snakes, and how Jurassic World got the mosasaur slightly wrong.

This series is made possible by the Department for Energy and Mining. Our Wonders from the South Australian Museum exhibition (featuring some palaeontological highlights) is on until August 8th 2021.

014 Wonders: CT scanning and lizard-like snakes

We wrap up our Wonders from the South Australian Museum exhibition with a story about the iron lung, as well as favourite Wonders from Museum staff. 

This episode is made possible by the Department for Energy and Mining. Audio production is by Jake Holmes, theme song by Peter Saunders, and Kaurna welcome by Uncle Michael O'Brien. Wonders from the South Australian Museum is on until August 8th 2021.

015 Farewell To Wonders

Originally broadcast for the Feast Festival in 2021.
Happy Feast Festival! Join us for an audio version of It's In Our Nature: A Queer Trail of the Museum. Prominent South Australians share their stories and perspectives on Museum objects, all of which you can visit in our permanent galleries. There is a wide variety of objects to find, from the Rosetta Stone to elephant social circles and fabulous crabs.

This episode was produced by Meg Lloyd. Kaurna welcome was by Uncle Michael O’Brien, additional interview help by trainees Emily and Sameka, with music by Peter Saunders and additional sound effects by Zapsplat.com.

It's in Our Nature: A Queer Trail of the Museum

Artists from Warlayirti Art Centre in Balgo, Western Australia, discuss their painting and culture in the new exhibition at the South Australian Museum, Balgo Beginnings.

Audio production for this episode was by Jake Holmes, theme song by Peter Saunders and Kaurna Welcome by Uncle Michael O’Brien. Thanks to all the Balgo artists for their time. Balgo Beginnings is on display at the South Australian Museum until the 6th of February 2022.

The exhibition is accompanied by the launch of a ground-breaking new publication in Aboriginal art, 'Balgo: Creating Country' by Professor John Carty. The book is available for purchase online through UWA Publishing and at the South Australian Museum shop.

This exhibition is presented in partnership with Warlayirti Arts. Supporting partners are the Art Gallery of South Australia, Tarnanthi, BHP and the government of South Australia. The acquisition of these important Balgo works was made possible by the generous philanthropy of Dianne and Terry Finnegan.

018: Balgo Beginnings

Aboriginal Education Coordinator Eva Wilson talks to artists Clem Newchurch and Peter Turner about their new exhibition, KAURNA: Still Here.

First Nations artists Peter Turner and Clem Newchurch have worked with the South Australian Museum’s collections to inspire their exhibition KAURNA: Still Here. Drawing on their Ancestors’ practices prior to European colonisation, Peter and Clem have created carvings, painted and woven works in this celebration of continuing culture.

Clem can be found on Instagram @clemnewchurchart.

The Collections Project is presented as a partnership between Guildhouse and the South Australian Museum as part of the project, STEAM Incubator Series: A creative exploration of sustainability at the fusion of the Arts, Culture and Science, supported by Arts South Australia.

019 KAURNA: Still Here - with Clem Newchurch and Peter Turner

In this week's episode, we'll hear from Dr Philip Jones, Senior Researcher at the South Australian Museum and curator of the exhibition, Illustrating the Antipodes: George French Angas in Australia and New Zealand, 1844-1845. In 2009, Dr Jones undertook a fellowship at the National Library of Australia, where he researched works by 19th Century artist, George French Angas. The exhibition and accompanying book are the culmination of his decades-long research into the life and work of the celebrated artist.


As a young man in the 1840s, George French Angas journeyed to Australia and New Zealand, where he excelled at capturing the minute detail of plants and people, objects and landscapes. The bush was his studio and Angas personified the archetypal travelling artist of the era.


Illustrating the Antipodes is supported by the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, an Australian Government program aiming to improve access to the national collections for all Australians. We thank the Angas family for their generosity in making works available for research and display.

020 George French Angas with Philip Jones

Delve behind the scenes at the South Australian Museum, a natural history museum in Adelaide, SA. Hear from scientists, researchers and curators about how objects are collected and what happens once they're in the Museum.

It's in Our Nature: A Queer Trail of the Museum

South Australian Museum

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