The Past is a Dangerous Place: The Museum as a Safe Haven

Abstract

The city of Adelaide is the capital of South Australia and home of the Migration Museum, an institution dedicated to the history and experience of migrants to Australia. The location for this museum reflects the region’s history of non-conformism and enlightened and radical ideas. South Australia was not a convict settlement but a planned colony for free settlers who were attracted by the promise of religious freedom. Lutherans fleeing persecution in East Prussia, and Quakers and Jews from England were among the earliest immigrants. In 1894, South Australian women fought for and won the right to vote in parliamentary elections, the first women, along with New Zealand, in the world to gain their democratic freedom. Thus, Adelaide and the Migration Museum are unique in the Australian landscape, for they both push the frontiers of what is possible to do and express about social injustices, tensions and conflict. For the Museum, this means navigating the difficult waters of Australia’s diverse peoples who share the same lands and the legacy of colonialism and racism.