Published on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 at 1:00:00 PM
The Esperance Museum will open its doors free of charge for a special Anniversary Weekend this October, celebrating 50 years since the collection found its home in the Goods Shed. The three days from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October will provide a final opportunity to visit before the Museum closes its doors for approximately four months of essential structural works.
The historic Goods Shed on the Esperance foreshore, once the centre of a bustling railway yard for the transport of shipped goods, has been home to the stories, memories and treasures of many generations over the last 50 years. Behind its weathered walls, local families have donated photographs, objects, documents and memories, helping build a collection that tells the story of Esperance and its people.
Celebrations begin on the morning of Friday 9 October with the special 50 Things exhibition, family friendly activities such as the You’ve Got Mail: Esperance 2076 letter writing initiative, and plenty of time to explore the Museum’s extensive displays. The official launch will take place from 4pm with speeches and Museum highlights celebrating 50 years in this unique historic building.
If you've ever visited the Museum and left feeling there wasn't enough time to see everything, then this weekend is the perfect opportunity to satisfy your curiosity.
The weekend celebrations will include two special History Hour talks presented by the Esperance Bay Historical Society. At 11am on Saturday 10 October, John Viska will present ‘The Beginning of the Museum Collection’, exploring how the Museum was established. At 11am on Sunday 11 October, Dale Johnson, Heather Gee and Elaine Siemer will present ‘A Place for the Arts: The Creative History of Esperance’, examining the people, organisations and ideas that helped shape the region's artistic identity.
While the anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the past, it is also focused on preserving today's stories for future generations.
The Museum team are currently working on the 50 Voices for 50 Years community project, recording the experiences and memories of 50 people from across the region. This initiative is proudly supported by the Rotary Club of Esperance Bay.
The You've Got Mail: Esperance 2076 project invites community members to write letters for our future community. People of all ages are encouraged to share memories, hopes for the future and reflections on life in our region today. A dedicated letterbox is set up at the Museum and every letter received will go into the draw to win a prize – give your child the experience of writing and posting a letter!
The stories gathered through both projects will be preserved alongside the many others already held in the archive collection, to be shared during the Museum's 100th anniversary in 2076.
The Museum's journey began in 1971 through the passion and determination of the Esperance Bay Historical Society. Five years later, the collection found its permanent home in the Goods Shed, where it has remained ever since. Across five decades, the Museum has become far more than a collection of objects. It has become a place where the stories, achievements and everyday lives of the Esperance community are preserved and shared.
Now, before the doors close temporarily for essential repairs, the community is invited to visit and celebrate the important role local stories, knowledge and history plays in connecting our world yesterday and today to the future.
The Museum warmly invites you to wander the galleries. To discover something new. To recognise a familiar face in an old photograph. To remember.
The Esperance Museum will be open from 10am to 4pm daily throughout the Anniversary Weekend, 9 to 11 October, with free entry for all visitors. We look forward to seeing you there!
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