Working with Collections
There are thousands of objects in our care that tell amazing South Australian stories.
Collection Research & Information Requests
The National Trust is committed to supporting research and sharing knowledge about the places, objects and stories in our care. We are almost always happy to facilitate access to our collections for researchers, students, authors, heritage professionals and community members with a genuine interest in exploring South Australia’s history.
Our collections are extensive, complex and geographically diverse, with material held across multiple sites and locations throughout the state. As a result, arranging access or responding to research enquiries can take time, particularly where items need to be located, assessed or transported for viewing.
We are also always interested in hearing from researchers, writers, historians and students who would like to publish, present or otherwise share new research based on National Trust collections. Fresh perspectives and new scholarship help us deepen our understanding of the collections and make them more accessible to the wider community.
Please note that significant portions of our collections have not yet been digitised. This means that information may not be immediately available and some research requests may require substantial staff and volunteer time to investigate. We appreciate your patience and will do our best to assist with enquiries as resources permit.
If you would like to submit a research or information request, please provide as much detail as possible about your topic, areas of interest and any relevant dates, people or objects. The more information you can provide, the better we can assist.
Collections Officer
collections@nationaltrustsa.org.au
PO Box 290
North Adelaide
SA 5006
Object Donations
Each donation request is thoughtfully considered by the National Trust Collections Officer, the CEO, and appropriate governing committees to determine if the gift is in line with the specific criteria for the acquisition and acceptance of donations.
As outlined in the National Trust’s Collections Policy; any object accepted into the National Trust’s collection should be consistent with the institution’s mission, be relevant, and be properly cared for. For these reasons, we may not always be the appropriate custodian of an object.
If you are interested in making the gift of an object to the National Trust of South Australia, please complete some details in the Collection Object Donation Form and then please forward an email to the below. Our Collections officer will assess if we are able to accept the item and contact you as soon as possible.
Collections Officer
collections@nationaltrustsa.org.au
PO Box 290
North Adelaide
SA 5006
