Australia’s only orphanage museum – right here in Geelong
Geelong is home to the Australian Orphanage Museum (AOM) where you can hear the authentic stories of people who grew up in orphanages, children’s homes, missions and other institutions, including foster care.
The museum showcases over 2,000 items, many of which have been donated. The diverse exhibits tell the true stories of the vulnerable people that endured a dark chapter in Australian history.
The museum’s permanent exhibits explore three continuing themes: The History of Child Welfare in Australia, The Children’s Voices, and Care Leavers Activism.
The Children’s Voices exhibit focuses on the memories of adults recalling their childhood in care. Direct quotes share personal experiences, while artefacts and photos from orphanages, Children’s Homes, foster care and missions bring these stories to life.
The Australian Orphanage Museum was established by the Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) in 2001. The museum started as a small collection of objects and memorabilia in CLAN’s Sydney offices to ensure the history and stories of Care Leavers was visible and tangible.
The museum has an extensive library which includes 760 books plus videos, audio cassettes, media articles, reports, theses, manuals and other research documents.
The museum is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am to 4pm. They also offer group bookings on Thursdays and Fridays by appointment.
It’s only $10 for adults to visit and $8 for concession card holders, seniors and children under 16. Children under 12 are free.
