Congratulations to Mary Koolhof OAM
The mission of the Royal Society of Tasmania is the
advancement of knowledge. The RST strives to collect, preserve, promote, and make accessible rare,
archival and/or primary source materials that advances historical, scientific, cultural, and
technological knowledge for the benefit of Tasmanians. The RST’s Library and Art Collections were
built upon the original foundations of the Society. The Society now builds its collections based on
existing strengths and identified opportunities for growth as determined by institutional priority and
anticipated future significance. The Society will increase its impact through internal and external
collaborative initiatives, which seek to raise awareness, improve access, and expand the use of the
collections.
The Society acknowledge that past practices of collection, description and representation of
Tasmanian Aboriginal people and their material culture by the Society contributed to beliefs that
continue to be misleading and destructive. We acknowledge that material within our collections
contains historical records, publications and artworks that reflect social and individual attitudes
throughout Tasmania’s history since colonisation. They contain words, descriptions and information
that may be insensitive or inappropriate and may be upsetting.
Governance Papers
The Royal Society of Tasmania acknowledges, with deep respect, the traditional owners of this land, and the ongoing custodianship of the Aboriginal people of Tasmania. The Society pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge that Tasmanian Aboriginal Peoples have survived severe and unjust impacts resulting from invasion and dispossession of their Country. As an institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, the Royal Society of Tasmania recognises Aboriginal cultural knowledge and practices and seeks to respect and honour these traditions and the deep understanding they represent.
On 15 February 2021, the Royal Society of Tasmania offered a formal Apology to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people. Read more
