Stories through time: Living cultures, enduring connections

3 March - 19 December 2025

Generations of Indigenous Australian and Pacific peoples have worked to preserve and celebrate cultural continuity through making, sharing and documenting the everyday objects and practices of Country and Custom.

Over the past seventy-five years thousands of objects have made their way into the Anthropology Museum’s custodianship. The Museum has been a place for critical discourse and this exhibition celebrates the collaborative relationships forged between Indigenous and non-Indigenous producers and scholars.

Since the 1950s makers, storytellers and knowledge holders have connected with their material culture in the collection, to re-imagine cultural continuity for future generations. This exhibition presents key collections which contain and convey some of these deeply significant social, spiritual and economic ties.

Reflecting on these collaborations, the Anthropology Museum acknowledge the many artists and community researchers who continue to share valuable insights into the dynamism of living cultures with deep connections to Country and Custom.

Featuring works by:

Banner image: Makers unrecorded, shield, early to mid 20th century, Pomio district, East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea, donated by Sir Raphael Cilento 1950. Teaser image: Makers unrecorded, attributed to Biwat people, bird carving, before 1950, attributed to Yuat River, East Sepik province, Papua New Guinea.