About the Museum
Find out who we are, what we do, and the history behind Museum of the Riverina.
Who We Are, What We Do
Museum of the Riverina is a multi-award-winning cultural institution operating across two sites on Wiradyuri Country in Wagga Wagga, NSW. We are dedicated to preserving and sharing our region’s rich history while creating accessible, engaging spaces where visitors can experience history and culture in the heart of the Riverina.
At our state-of-the-art Botanic Gardens site, we help visitors to understand our past, present, and future on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River and beyond. Here visitors encounter stories of people and places over 60,000 years in the making, from ancient landscapes to the thriving city we know today. Explore the objects, images, and voices, big and small, that help tell our stories. Through a series of nuanced and fascinating gallery spaces , we share stories of triumph over adversity, local stories that intersect with global ones, significant events and social changes and much more.
Heritage architecture meets new discoveries at our Historic Council Chambers site. Housed in a beautifully preserved Victorian Free Classical building, visitors can explore Wagga Wagga’s civic past while enjoying a dynamic program of temporary exhibitions spanning culture, history, and science. This site invites curiosity, showcasing a wide range of stories from Wagga and beyond.
Beyond our galleries, the museum brings history and culture to life through an inspiring range of public programs and educational experiences. From interactive school programs and hands-on workshops to talks, guided tours, and community events, there are opportunities for people of all ages to explore, discover, and connect. Every program is designed to spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and create meaningful connections between our stories and the people who encounter them.
Our History
Foundation – Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society Museum
The origins of Museum of the Riverina date to 1962, with the establishment of the Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society. The Society was formed to collect and preserve objects and stories from the local region, with the long-term goal of establishing a museum.
That goal was realised on 22 April 1967, when the Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society Museum opened on Willans Hill.i
Across the following three decades, as the collection expanded, additional buildings and extensions were constructed on the site, significantly increasing exhibition and storage capacity.ii
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Transfer of Management
In July of 1999, after more than 30 years of successful operation as a volunteer-run organisation, the Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wagga Wagga City Council. Management of the museum, along with a 25-year lease of the Willans Hill site, was formally transferred to Council.iii
With this change, the museum was renamed Museum of the Riverina – Botanic Gardens Site and underwent significant renovations and re-curation before reopening to the public on 21 September 2001iv.
At the same time, the society evolved to focus on supporting the documentation, preservation, and publication of local and regional historiesv. The museum also adopted a revised collection policy, prioritising objects significant to the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area. These changes strengthened its ability to collect, safeguard, and share the city’s stories with the community and future generations.
The Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society continued to operate from the museum’s Botanic Gardens site and remains active to this day, maintaining its role in preserving and promoting the region’s history.
Establishment of Museum of the Riverina Historic Council Chambers Site
In 1998, Wagga Wagga City Council resolved to establish a museum within the city’s former Council Chambers building at the corner of Baylis and Morrow Streets.
Designed by Melbourne architect William Salway and completed in 1881vi, the building is an important example of Free Classical civic architecturevii and one of Wagga Wagga’s most significant heritage landmarks.
The building was carefully adapted for use as a temporary exhibition space while retaining its heritage features. It was officially opened on 10 February 1999 by Ernie Page, then NSW Minister for Local Governmentviii.
Redevelopment of Museum of the Riverina Botanic Gardens Site
By 2016, the museum’s collection had grown to more than 25,000 objects, placing pressure on outdated storage facilities and highlighting the need for purpose-built infrastructure. Planning for a major redevelopment began in 2017.
A total of $8.6 million was secured from the Commonwealth Government, NSW Government and Wagga Wagga City Council to fund the project. Construction commenced in May 2021, transforming the site into a contemporary museum precinct.
The redevelopment delivered:
- A new state-of-the-art exhibition building
- Upgraded and accessible outdoor spaces
- Improvements to Lord Baden Powell Drive
- Conversion of the original museum building into a climate-controlled collection storage facility
These works significantly increased storage capacity and enhanced public access and visitor experience.ix
At the same time, the museum was re-curated into themed galleries following extensive community consultation and collaboration. A major milestone during this period of re-curation was the return on long-term loan of seven significant wooden Wiradyuri objects from the Australian Museum. These objects now form an important part of the museum’s Wiradyuri Gallery.x
The redeveloped Botanic Gardens Site reopened to the public in March 2023, marking a new chapter in the museum’s ability to preserve and share the region’s historyxii.
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2025 Leo Kelly OAM Arts and Culture Awards – Arts and Culture Project Division B
Winner – RESETTLEMENT |Wiradyuri Gawaymbanha-gu Mamalanha
2025 NSW Local Government Professionals Excellence Award for Community Development
Winner – RESETTLEMENT |Wiradyuri Gawaymbanha-gu Mamalanha
2023 Museums and Galleries of NSW IMAGinE Award for Community Engagement: Medium Organisations
Winner – RETURN: Reconnecting objects and collections with people and places
2023 Museums and Galleries of NSW IMAGinE Award for Exhibitions Projects Museums and Heritage: Medium Organisations
Highly Commended – Museum of the Riverina Semi-Permanent Exhibitions
2019 Museums and Galleries National Awards
National Winner – Steam the Museum
2017 Museums and Galleries of NSW IMAGinE Award for Exhibition Projects – Museums Small/Medium
Winner – Talking Machines
i WWDHS - Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society. (2012). About Us - WWDHS. [online] Available at: https://www.wwdhs.org.au/about-us/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2026].
ii Wagga Wagga District and Historical Society Inc. Early Beginnings: 1946 to 1962, Progress to 1976. (2012b). Wagga Wagga, Australia: Wagga Wagga District & Historical Society Inc., p.26.
iii Wagga Wagga District and Historical Society Inc. Early Beginnings: 1946 to 1962, Progress to 1976. (2012b). Wagga Wagga, Australia: Wagga Wagga District & Historical Society Inc., p.26.
iv Invitation: Museum of the Riverina Opening Ceremony. (2001).
v WWDHS - Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society. (2012). About Us - WWDHS. [online] Available at: https://www.wwdhs.org.au/about-us/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 2026].
vi Morris, S. (1999). Wagga Wagga. p.89.
vii Apperly, R., Irving, R., Reynolds, P.L. and Mitchell, S. (1994). A pictorial guide to identifying Australian architecture : styles and terms from 1788 to the present. Pymble, Sydney: Angus & Robertson, pp.56–59.
viii Burch, G. (2023). 243 Baylis Street, Historic Council Chambers. p.28.
ix Wagga Wagga City Council (2023a). Museum of the Riverina Redevelopment. [online] City of Wagga Wagga. Available at: https://www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/projects/past-projects/completed-projects/2023-projects/museum-redevelopment [Accessed 14 Apr. 2026].
x Wagga Wagga City Council (2023b). Australian Museum loans cultural objects to the Museum of the Riverina’s new Wiradyuri Gallery. [online] City of Wagga Wagga| Council News. Available at: https://news.wagga.nsw.gov.au/news-articles/2023/january-2023/cultural-objects-arrive-at-wiradyuri-gallery [Accessed 14 Apr. 2026]
xi Wagga Wagga City Council (2023c). The Museum of the Riverina Botanic Gardens site is now open to the public. [online] City of Wagga Wagga| Council News. Available at: https://news.wagga.nsw.gov.au/news-articles/2023/march-2023/the-museum-of-the-riverina-botanic-gardens-site-is-now-open-to-the-public [Accessed 14 Apr. 2026].