About

Based in Melbourne, Victoria, collections and cultural heritage professional Melanie Horder specialises in significance assessments of cultural heritage collections and archives, with further expertise in the areas of oral history, historical research and exhibition curation.

Melanie (Mel) graduated from the University of Tasmania with a triple-major in Ancient Civilisations, Graphic Design and Asian Studies (Honours), with further studies in the areas of Printmaking, Art Theory and her ongoing passion Egyptology. Mel’s Honours thesis examined the representation and cultural significance of photographs depicting Chinese immigrants in the tin mining areas of Tasmania during the 1800s.

Whilst employed full-time in university research management and part-time at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Mel completed the highly regarded Graduate Diploma of Museum Studies at Deakin University, a program which developed her understanding of best practice standards in museums, collections and cultural heritage work.

Since graduation and relocation from Hobart to Melbourne, Mel has undertaken a variety of significance assessments and curatorial projects and is keen to continue to pursue a career in the  museums, collections and cultural heritage sector.

Qualifications

  • Graduate Diploma of Museum Studies, Deakin University 2011
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Centre for Colonialism and its Aftermath, University of Tasmania 2008
  • Bachelor of Arts and Fine Arts, University of Tasmania 2007

Professional Development

  • ‘Developing a Creative Platform or Art Organisation’ course, Node Centre for Curatorial Studies, Berlin 2015
  •  Oral History Workshop, Museums Australia (Vic)  in conjunction with Way Back When, 2015

Current & Past Affiliations

  • Associate Member, Significance International
  • ICOM Australia
  • Museums Australia
  • Egyptology Society of Victoria
  • Narryna Heritage Museum
  • TMAGots (Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery)
  • Royal Historical Society of Victoria