The Sovereign Hill Museums Association Email Format
Museums, Historical Sites, and ZoosVictoria, Australia51-200 Employees
The Sovereign Hill Museums Association operates Sovereign Hill, an outdoor museum in Ballarat, Victoria, that presents the story of Australia’s gold rush and its role in Ballarat's growth from a pastoral settlement to a provincial city by the 1860s. The site emphasizes an immersive experience with working machinery, costumed interpreters, and opportunities for visitor participation. Opened in November 1970, the heritage site now attracts about 450,000 visitors each year. The museum is administered by The Sovereign Hill Museums Association, a not-for-profit, community-based organization governed by a volunteer board and managed by an executive director and professional staff. It relies on a sizeable staff and hundreds of volunteers to operate the outdoor museum and support the Gold Museum's curatorial work and tour guiding, and in 2020 announced a long-term master plan for the site.