Willoughby Museum celebrates 30 years since it opened its doors to the public for the first time in 1993.
The Willoughby Museum holds all sorts of memories about life in yesteryear. The council and historical society held a special event on 29 October where a permanent display outlining the history of Willoughby was opened by the Mayor of Willoughby City Tanya Taylor. The exhibit uses images of the council’s Bicentennial banners designed to tell the story of the local area from First Nations habitation to the modern era.
The Willoughby District Historical Society formed in February 1974 and searched for a property in the municipality for use as a local history museum for many years. The society wanted to display a range of historical items that would conserve the history of the area.
In 1988, a relatively new member of the society, Sonia Kirkham, died tragically in a car accident and bequeathed her house ‘Boronia’ to the society for use as a headquarters and museum.
Following the renovation of the 1912 cottage and garden, the museum opened in October 1993, with local Eric Wilksch from Naremburn as its first curator.
Willoughby District Historical Society committee.
The cottage is part of the Chatswood South conservation area, which preserves houses typical of Chatswood in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum building, a 110-year-old pre-World War I brick and tile rental cottage, forms a part of the museum’s collection.
Willoughby Museum displays early local industries and working lives, domestic life, settlement of suburbs, and the pioneers who are part of Willoughby’s history. Special displays of local objects and photographs include textiles, carpentry, ironwork, and a period kitchen and laundry containing household items.
The museum is open on Sundays 1pm to 4pm between February and November. Entry is $6 for adults, $10 per family and $5 concession. However, to mark the anniversary, entry to the museum on Sunday afternoons during November will be free of charge.
For further information about the Museum and the Society, call 9410 3203 or visit willoughbydhs.org.au.
Judy Peters is President of the Willoughby District Historical Society and Museum.