Are you a collector? I remember my Dad collecting coins and my uncle collected glass bottles. He would go diving into wrecks to find them. Many of my friends growing up collected stamps. I guess this is a hobby that is going out of fashion. Not many people post letters anymore.
When my boys were young they collected many things from rocks to matchbox cars, Pokemon cards to shiny marbles. I guess there is a bit of magpie in all of us. My husband still has a record collection that he would never part with. It’s the nostalgia and sentimentality that holds them dear.
For me any collecting has come about organically. What started as one fancy Oroton handbag has grown into a fierce love of handbags and my collection has grown over time. The same with our Indigenous art. We bought one painting and fell in love with the style so much that our collection grew.
The Museum of Brisbane currently has a wonderful exhibition sharing collections and curiosities from local Brisbane residents. This exhibition brings together thousands of objects from various public and private collections.
From textiles to tin toys, marine treasures, evening purses, tea caddies, dolls and even some axes. Yes, someone had more than one axe to grind! You can learn about the keepsakes and treasures that many consider – Precious.
The Precious exhibition is free and suitable for all ages. Located on Level 3 in Brisbane City Hall this installation has something for everyone. You will marvel at the quirky and beautiful displays. We certainly felt a touch of nostalgia. PRECIOUS runs until 8 February 2026.
There’s an incredible interactive installation for the kids and fashionistas will be surprised to learn that the MOB team have collected over 3300 pieces from iconic Brisbane fashion label Easton Pearson which reside in their archives. Some are on display showing off the incredible workmanship which went into making these garments.
So tell me are you a collector and what do you collect? I’d love to hear about your precious collection.
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