South Australian Museum – East Wing

The South Australian Museum’s Eastern Wing is historically significant as the third of four wings planned in the 1870s to house what was then known as the South Australian Institute. The fourth wing planned to front North Terrace was never built. Officially opened in December 1915 it housed Natural History and Art Museums. In 1937 the Art Museum (ceramics prints weapons coins and historical items) was transferred to the new Melrose Wing of the National Gallery of SA and in 1938 a Children’s Museum opened in a portion of the space vacated.  This notable innovation was funded by a Carnegie Corporation grant.