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Home in St. George 1920-1960

Main Gallery
6 May - 23 July 2023


This exhibition explores notions of home and domestic life in the Georges River area from the 1920s to the 1960s. How were homes designed, built, and made in the local area during these decades? What made a house a ‘home’? Furnishings, equipment, tools, gardens, recreation, hobbies? What were the lives of women, men and children like during these decades?

Showcasing Hurstville Museum & Gallery’s extensive collection, the exhibition highlights the social, cultural and family lives of residents in the St George region during the first half of the 20th century.  

Take a walk through 'Home in St George 1920-1960' exhibition virtually

 

 

Events on offer for this exhibition

Official opening

A sepia-coloured photograph of a living room of from the Villa Maria Estate in 1920.

Hurstville Museum & Gallery celebrated the official opening of our latest exhibition Home in St George 1920 - 1960. 

Friday 5 May 2023, 6.00pm - This event has passed.

All welcome, refreshments provided.

RSVP for catering purposes by calling (02) 9330 6444.

Baby explorers

Laughing baby lying down on a blanket

Join a tour of the current Main Gallery exhibition, Home in St George 1920-1960, with your little one. 

A special sensory pit of soft and textured materials, interesting sounds, colours and shapes will also be available for your baby to explore. 

For more information on each event, use the What's On Event links below:

•    Wednesday 10 May, 10.15am-11.30am - This event has passed.
•    Wednesday 14 June, 10.15am - 11.30.am - This event has passed.

 Screen printing workshop 

An artist using a screen printing press.
Learn how to screen print, experimenting on paper and fabrics. Participants will learn the art of screen printing using pre-made screens. In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to experiment on various papers and fabrics. You will then be able to use your new skills and decorate either a tote bag, tea towel or t-shirt that will be yours to keep!

Participants will leave with all their printed items and a new and interesting skill. 

Sunday 28 May 2023, 2.30pm - 4.30pm - This event has passed.

Cost: $25.00 per person.
 
Bookings are essential. 

 Cupcake workshop with Miss Seafood Paella

A drag queen wearing a chef's hat, text reads 'Miss Seafood Paella's cupcake decoration'
In line with Pride month and as part of our current exhibition ‘Home in St George 1920-1960’, indulge your taste buds and let your creativity soar in a hands-on cupcake decorating class like no other! The talented Drag Queen Miss Seafood Paella will guide you through the colourful world of cupcake decoration. Learn the secrets to decorating cupcakes fit for a queen and follow her through a short glam-tour of our current exhibition.

For adults 18+. Note: No cooking involved, it will be a decorating cupcake class.

Friday 16 June 2023, 6.30pm - 8.00pm - This event has passed.

Cost: $25.00 per person.

Crochet Course: Make Your Own Funky Shaggy Eco Hat

Crochet hats made with lots of different colourful yarn.


Do you already know how to crochet but want to take it to the next level? In this four-hour course from Reverse Garbage, you will get a pattern and learn how to structure your hat. Get inspired by our crocheted objects in our current exhibition ‘Home in St George 1920-1960’. 

These hats are easy to make, fun and sustainable, created using all those leftover bits of yarn from other projects. You can bring your own yarn and beads and/or use what we provide. This workshop is aimed at people with intermediate crocheting skills. 
Note: This event is for 16 years old or older. A 16 and 17 year old needs to come with a paying adult. Participants will have a 20min break during the workshop. 

Saturday 17 June 2023, 10.30am – 2.30pm - This event has passed.

Cost: $25.00 per person.

Art/Play/Make - Old fashioned games

Girl with brown hair and yellow top is painting leaves.
Come along to create your own old fashioned games related to the exhibition ‘Home in St George 1920-1960’. Exploring the world through creativity. Play, experiment and explore your creativity through art and craft.

Designed for children aged 6 - 8 years. No prior skills or session knowledge required.

Saturday 1 July 2023, 10.15am - 12.00pm - This event has passed.

Cost: $8.00 per child per session.

 Get crafty and Knit with the Knitters’ Guild of NSW

Different colorful yarn balls and knitting tools
Step back in time with our current exhibition “Home in St George 1920s-1960s” and create your own timeless pieces in this free drop-in session with the Knitters’ Guild of NSW.

Calling all knitting enthusiasts! Discover the interplay between art, history and craft, and learn new knitting techniques, or how to knit if you’re a beginner. Enjoy an afternoon of connecting with fellow yarn lovers.

Note: No previous experience required, also suitable for those who would like to start knitting.

Saturday 1 July 2023, 2.00pm – 3.30pm - This event has passed.
Free, light refreshments provided.

 

Artzone - Play in the past

A hand holding a paint brush with paint, and coloured pencils in the background.


Create your own old fashioned games related to the exhibition ‘Home in St George 1920-1960’. A monthly art class where children passionate about artmaking can explore different materials, techniques and themes in a casual relaxed approach. Designed for children aged 8-13 years. 
 

Saturday 8 July 2023, 10.15am - 12.30pm - This event has passed.

Cost: $8.00 per child per session.

 

Open day

Sepia photograph of a living room of house from the 1930s.

As part of the Home in St George 1920-1960 exhibition, Hurstville Museum & Gallery are hosting an Open Day filled with free activities for the whole family.

The day will start with a Welcome to Country, followed by her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, who will open the day and share a recollection of her memories while growing up in the area. Claire Baddeley, Curator of the exhibition, will be offering free tours throughout the day (10.45am, 12.45pm and 2.30pm) and we will have a permaculture talk in the afternoon. We will also have a dress up area and a craft station for families to have some fun and create their own wooden peg doll.

Join us for a day filled with fun activities!

Saturday 8 July 2023, 10.00am – 4.00pm - This event has passed.
Cost: Free.

 

Permaculture talk – Designing your home garden for maximum productivity

A small child holding a big bowl of peaches

Join us for a free talk that will concentrate on designing your home garden for maximum productivity. Matt Heffernan, co-founder of Permaculture Sydney South and local resident, studied permaculture in 2005 before embarking on his own garden design adventure, and has run many permaculture workshops over the years.
 
Permaculture is the art of developing agricultural ecosystems that intend to be sustainable and self-sufficient – interesting and convenient! Regardless of how much space you have at home, we hope you will be so inspired by this talk that you will go home and start gardening (if you’re not doing it already)!

Saturday 8 July 2023, 1.30pm - 3.30pm - This event has passed.
Cost: Free, bookings essential.


*This talk will be part of a day filled with activities at the official Open Day for ‘Home in St George 1920-1960’. 

Building recollections

A black and white photograph of a brick home with a car in the driveway in Oatley, 1920.

The Home in St George 1920-1960 exhibition highlights the lives of St George residents during the first half of the 20th century. 

If you, your family members or relatives built their own home (as owner-occupiers) in the Georges River Council area or worked in the industries of building, architecture or trades associated with home building, we would love to hear your stories and experiences of undertaking this. Hurstville Museum & Gallery invites you to view the exhibition and share your recollections of building and making your home during these decades. If you have photographs, documents or objects related to the design, planning or construction of your home, please bring them along too.

Monday 17 July 2023, 10.30am – 11.30am
Cost: Free.

Light refreshments provided. Please book online for catering purposes by clicking the button below. You can also visit us at the Museum & Gallery service desk.

Book now

Lampshade workshop

A beaded white and blue lamp on display at Hurstville Museum & Gallery


Diane Dwyer, from Kogarah’s Southern Antiques store, will host a creative workshop demonstrating how to make your own custom lampshade. Enjoy a glass of wine while you create your own unique piece to take home!

Be inspired by Hurstville Museum & Gallery’s c.1920s lampshade currently on display as part of the ‘Home in St George 1920-1960’ exhibition. ‘Home in St George’ explores domestic life in the Georges River area from 1920s to the 1960s.

Once your booking is confirmed, you will receive further information on choosing the fabric you need.

Wednesday 28 June 2023, 6.00pm-8.00pm - This event has passed.
Cost: $12.00 per person.

Bookings are essential. Please book online by clicking the button below or visit us at the Museum & Gallery service desk.

Book now


 Image: Brick house, 33 (later 27) Ada Street, Oatley NSW, c. late 1920s, Georges River Council Library Local Studies collection, GRLS20-053    

 

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