To coincide with the 60th anniversary of AIATSIS, our Central Australian facility is expected to open to the public in early 2024.
For the first time in our history, we’re extending our presence beyond Canberra and opening a new Central Australian facility in Mparntwe/Alice Springs in partnership with First Nations Media Australia.
Mparntwe (pronounced m'barn-twa) is the Arrernte name of Alice Springs.
Our new facility in Central Australia will provide culturally-appropriate digitisation and storage capacity along with local training opportunities.
The facility will also enable local preservation of community-held collection materials and increased preservation and repatriation of Indigenous collections and cultural information.
'Communities and individuals will have increased capability to revitalise their languages and to promote better understanding of the living cultures and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.’
Craig Ritchie, former AIATSIS CEO
Access
- Search the AIATSIS Collection.
- Visit or make an appointment to view digital collection materials.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can order up to 20 free copies per year of material from the AIATSIS Collection.
Training
- Opportunities for hands-on training in cultural heritage digitisation and collection management in conjunction with educational partners.
- Support for communities to preserve their locally held collections.
Learning and research
- Explore our exhibition space and learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in all their diversity.
- Undertake research on these cultures, including family history.
AIATSIS Central Australia is supported with funding from the Northern Territory Government and is being delivered in partnership with First Nations Media Australia.
