the museum we love
In 30 years, the Golden Dragon Museum has accumlated thousands of beautiful Asian artefacts and, in honour of this occasion, a panel was asked to choose their favourites. By Sue Turpie - Photography by AJ Taylor For almost 150 years, Bendigo has benefited from the generosity of the Chinese community, whose foresight and dedication to preserving tradition and history has culminated in today’s internationally renowned Golden Dragon Museum. This year, the museum celebrates its 30th anniversary by reflecting on its incredible collection of thousands of historic Asian artefacts, including the world’s longest Imperial dragon, wooden screens, processional costumes, intricate ceramics and more. Since the mid-1800s, the Chinese community has shown its dedication to the city through various philanthropic ventures, including raising funds for the Bendigo Hospital and being a vital drawcard for thousands of tourists who attend the annual Bendigo Easter Festival. For Central Victorian residents, there are fond memories of sitting for hours along Pall Mall to ensure a prime position to watch the Easter procession, and throwing coins into
a white sheet from above the car park near Rosalind Park at the annual Waking of the Dragons. There is an undeniable pride felt throughout generations of locals at being home to the museum and its community, therefore, “The One I Love” seems more than appropriate as the title for an initiative chosen to mark the Golden Dragon Museum’s 30 years of operation. In honour of the milestone, five local identities were asked to nominate an object within the immense collection as the one they loved. As with any such decision, there was a deep emotional connection with the chosen objects that went beyond them being picked merely for their beautiful aesthetics. Golden Dragon Museum chief executive officer Hugo Leschen emphasises how generations of the Chinese community and Bendigo residents have treasured the collection at the museum. “The strength of the collection is not just the physical objects but 43
