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.