Murrurundi Museum

The Murrurundi Museum is housed in the old Literary Institute building, on the site of the original police lock-up

Murrurundi was first settled in the early 1830's after the route over the Liverpool Range had been discovered. This led to the easier passage to the north and north-west, and the town developed as a frontier town for law and order and as a service town, providing shelter and provisions to the passing travellers. In 1842 Thomas Haydon began selling lots of his property that was across the river from the Murrurundi township and called the new settlement Haydonton.

One of the very first settlers in Haydonton was Benjamin Hall, the father of Ben Hall, who is better known as Ben Hall the bushranger. In 1842 Benjamin Hall purchased a block and built a slab cottage to house his family. The family is remembered in a shopfront window in Adelaide St, Murrurundi on the site of the original block. The two towns existed side by side until the early 1900's when they amalgamated to become known as Murrurundi. The district has a rich and interesting history.

The museum, which is run by the Murrurundi & District Historical Society Inc. has a wonderful collection of artifacts, papers and photographs all of which help to illustrate the life of the people who lived in and built the community. The Society members are proud to be custodians of the history. The museum is open to the public on the second and fourth Wednesday afternoons from 1:00pm to 3:00pm and on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Entry is by donation. We are only to happy to open by appointment at other times.

Visits from schools and organisations are most welcome.