EXHIBITIONS AND MUSEUMS

Nationality Stateless, Destination Australia:
JDC and the Australian Survivor Community

The story of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the role it played during the post-World War Two years in bringing Holocaust survivors from the displaced persons camps of Europe to a new future in Australia was told in this temporary exhibition, on display at the Jewish Museum of Australia in August 2008. This pivotal chapter in Australian Jewish history is explored through the stories of those whose lives were shaped by the tireless work of the JDC.

A Digital Evolution:
the Monash Museum of Computing History

Displaying almost 50 years of Australian computing history, the expanded and relocated Monash Museum of Computing History was opened by Museum Victoria chief executive officer Dr Patrick Greene in May 2005. The museum highlights the impact that computer technology has had on everyday life and how our use of it has changed.

Monash's first computer, the 43-year-old Ferranti Sirius, forms the centrepiece of the museum. Also featured is a mini computer PDP9, the same model used at the Parkes Observatory during the moon landing in 1969. A chronology of computer usage, backed by a photographic timeline of current events and popular culture, explores how technology has developed from the 1950s. The museum is located on level two, B block, Monash University Caulfield campus and is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

80 MV: 80 Years of Maccabi Victoria

Maccabi Victoria is an important beacon of community, friendship and the competitive spirit. Over the past 80 years Maccabi has touched the lives of many and has strengthened the bonds of the Jewish community in Melbourne. To celebrate its 80 years of existence and contribution to community life, Maccabi Victoria sponsored an exhibition to tell its story. 80 MV is a decade-by-decade view of Maccabi Victoria that celebrates the development and rich history of organised Jewish sport in Victoria. The exhibition was on display at the Jewish Museum of Australia during March 2006 and is now travelling around schools in the Melbourne area.

From Blacksmiths to Bachelors:
a History of the Caulfield Campus

This project was commissioned by Monash University as part of the Back to Caulfield reunion in November 2005. The exhibition comprises eight panels that explore the history of the Caulfield site, from its origins as a technical school for boys in the 1920s, to its position today as a campus of Monash University. It is a journey from the blacksmith, carpentry and wheelwright courses of the small trade school, to the diplomas and degrees of an international university.

Using a combination of text, images and 3D objects, the exhibition brings to life aspects of the campus experience at different points in its history. Themes include the growth of the campus and its buildings, the student experience, and the development of the institution and pioneering disciplines. The exhibition is on permanent display on level two, B block, Monash University Caulfield campus.

A Celebration of Life: a Tribute Exhibition

Often considered the greatest and most influential thinker in computer science in Australia, Professor Chris Wallace led a distinguished academic career and made an enormous contribution to research and scholarship in his field. This exhibition, commissioned by the Faculty of Information Technology and the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Monash University, honours the life and work of Professor Wallace, who passed away in 2004.

Featuring a selection of photographs, interactive components, and objects from his distinguished career, the exhibition also displayed a range of PhD theses supervised by Professor Wallace and personal items such as his own PhD thesis and a selection of published research papers. The exhibition was held at the CEMA Gallery in the Science, Technology, Research and Innovation Precinct (STRIP) at Monash University’s Clayton campus, during October and November 2004.