Royal Adelaide Show Archives and Museum
The first Show was held on 8 December 1840
in the yards of Fordham's Hotel on Grenfell Street. From
that site it graduated to tent accommodation behind the
Adelaide Hospital spreading across the road into eastern
area of the current Adelaide University site. In the 1920s
the move to the present site at Wayville was made where
the Centennial Hall was constructed to celebrate the centenary
of European settlement in 1936. The basement of this hall
holds the archives and museum of the sponsors of the Show,
the Royal
Agricultural & Horticultural Society.

The activities of this society are far greater than the
presentation of the popular Show each year as the Society's
role has always been to promote and assist the agricultural
and horticultural industry in South Australia and as a consequence
many schemes and projects have been undertaken during the
long history of the Society including training people to
be efficient vine pruners and exhibiting SA produce internationally.
As a consequence the part time archivist may be able to
assist family historians in research that covers such topics.
An appointment is essential but simple queries may be made
by telephone. While the first hour is free, subsequent hours
are charged at AUD20.00 per hour for extended research of
the records.
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