The Thebarton Theatre will honour South Australian music with its brand–new museum coming in October
Adelaide’s iconic Thebarton Theatre first opened its doors in 1928; now, almost a century later, it’s being transformed to include South Australia’s first music museum.
The venue was initially opened as the Thebarton Town Hall and Municipal Offices, designed by Kaberry and Chard, the same architectural firm behind iconic venues such as The Enmore Theatre in Sydney, Anita’s Theatre in Thirroul, and the Roxy Theatre in Leeton, to name a few.
Thebarton Theatre quickly became known as the place to be for live music in Adelaide. Over the last century, the venue has hosted both huge acts and up-and-coming local bands, from Adelaide’s own Hilltop Hoods to international headliners such as Alice Cooper.
The theatre has been closed since July 2023, in an effort to maintain the building and conduct renovations. During this period, local bands and artists have turned to venues such as The Norwood Concert Hall and the Woodville Town Hall. It was recently announced that the venue will return in October of this year, now housing the Museum of South Australian Music.
In an interview with Glam Adelaide, theatre boss Bob Lott expressed his views on the need for a museum honouring South Australia’s vibrant music scene
“I’ve been lucky enough to see some of the biggest names in the world light up this stage,” Lott said,
“Having a museum here, when we reopen, feels like the perfect way to honour those moments.”
The museum will include exhibits based on the biggest acts from South Australia, such as Sia and The Angels, but will also look beyond at acts that perhaps don’t get the recognition they deserve as much anymore in an attempt to preserve the history and lore of the scene.
Max Mandile.
