Portland Historical Society

Curator’s Cottage Museum

The Curator’s Cottage in the Botanical Gardens was first occupied in 1859 by the first Curator of the gardens, William Allitt. From 1859 to 1959, the cottage was occupied by six curators. When the last occupant moved out. the cottage was refurbished by the Town Council, and was then made available to the Portland Historical Society to develop as a small museum

The Historical Society is a small volunteer organisation. Over the years they have added many donations to their large collection, and it is items from this which are on display at the cottage.

The museum was opened to the public in 1965, and houses a large collection of objects, which has always created a lot of interest from visitors.

Because the Historical Group are volunteers, the opening hours are dependant on the weather and the availability of members. An entry fee of $2 is charged and accompanied children are admitted free. This money goes towards maintaining the collection.

The museum is situated in the Botanic Gardens on the corner of Cliff and Glenelg Streets Portland..