| Formation | 1981 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | Adelaide |
| Type | Statutory body |
| Legal status | Corporation |
| Purpose | Cultural |
| Location |
|
| Board of Trustees | |
Key people | Greg Mackie (CEO) |
Parent organization | Government of South Australia |
| Website | history |
TheHistory Trust of South Australia, sometimes referred to asHistory SA, was created as astatutory corporation by theHistory Trust of South Australia Act 1981, to safeguardSouth Australia’s heritage and to encourage research and public presentations of South Australian history. It operates three museums in the state: theMigration Museum, theNational Motor Museum and theSouth Australian Maritime Museum. It runs the month-longSouth Australia's History Festival (previouslySA History Week) annually, and manages theAdelaidia andSA History Hub websites. It also manages, in collaboration with theState Library of South Australia, theCentre of Democracy.
The Trust was established as a body corporate under theDavid Tonkin government in 1981 by theHistory Trust of South Australia Act 1981. This Act repealed theConstitutional Museum Act 1978, but does not affect the operation of theSouth Australian Museum Act 1976 (which governs theSouth Australian Museum), nor the laterAboriginal Heritage Act 1988 orHeritage Places Act 1993. The Board is responsible to the Minister and its functions are laid out in the Act, including: carrying out, or promoting, research relevant to the history of the State; accumulating and classifying data on any subject of significance to the history of the State; accumulating and caring for objects of historical interest; exhibiting objects of historical or cultural interest; maintaining registers of objects of historical significance to the State; managing museums and other premises placed under the care of the Trust, and several other functions.[1][2][3]
One of its first responsibilities was the care of Constitutional Museum, Australia's first political museum, later known asOld Parliament House, before reverting to use by theSouth Australian Parliament in 1995.[4]
From 2013, the History Trust has been a member of the Federation of Australian Historical Societies.[5]
Reporting to the Minister for the Arts, the Trust's funding and oversight was the responsibility ofArts South Australia until 2018, when the position of Arts Minister was abolished and it was moved, along withCarclew,Patch Theatre Company andWindmill Theatre Company, to the Department of Education.[6]
In July 2019, the state budget slashed funding to the History Trust, Carclew and Windmill, as part of "operational efficiency" cuts.[7]
The offices of the History Trust were at theTorrens Parade Ground for 18 years, before temporarily relocating to 77Grenfell Street as various organisations wished to create a "veterans' hub" in the Drill Hall.
In 2023, the History Trust moved to the second floor ofheritage-listed Security House (previously known asKelvin House)[a] at 233North Terrace.[11][12]
As of 2019[update], the History Trust of South Australia operates the Migration Museum inKintore Avenue, the National Motor Museum atBirdwood and the South Australian Maritime Museum atPort Adelaide.[13] The History Trust is sometimes referred to as History SA.[14]
It manages, in collaboration with the State Library of South Australia, the Centre of Democracy on the corner of North Terrace and Kintore Avenue,[15] The Centre's gallery exhibits treasures from History Trust and State Library collections, as well as items on loan fromState Records of South Australia, theArt Gallery of South Australia, the Courts Authority,Parliament House,Government House and private lenders.[16] The exhibits are interactive and intended to appeal to all ages, with some explicitly aimed at engaging younger children. The Centre examines the history of South Australia by looking at key players and issues, showing how democracy evolved in SA, what it meant forAboriginal Australians and howprotests have played a part in developments.[17]
The History Trust also partners with other Australian museums to present exhibitions, manages a Community Museums Program and offers grants for research and writing, and puts on the annual South Australia’s History Festival as well as community events such as theBay to Birdwood vintage car run.[13]
South Australia's History Festival is a statewide event taking place in May each year, which promotes the state's historical collections, places and stories, through hundreds of events, including talks, tours, walks, workshops, exhibitions and special events.[18] The Festival began in 2004 as SA History Week, growing year on year until it becoming a month-long festival in 2011, and is As of 2019[update] one of South Australia's largest community events.[19]
TheSir Hubert Wilkins Oration has been presented by the History Trust in association with the Wilkins Project in 2023 and 2025.[20][21][22]
TheSA History Hub andAdelaidia websites were created and are being developed by the History Trust, along with content partnersWakefield Press, theState Library, the Art Gallery of South Australia and theAdelaide City Council Archives.[23][24]