Lady Franklin Gallery
The Lady Franklin Gallery and Ancanthe Park is a historic sandstone museum and parkland in Lenah Valley, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 26 October 1843, it became the first privately funded museum in Australia.
History
In 1836, Lady Jane Franklin and her husband Sir John Franklin relocated to Van Diemen's Land when he was appointed lieutenant-governor of the colony. In 1839, she purchased of land in Lenah Valley with the intent of building a museum and botanical garden, which she named Ancanthe, Ancient Greek for "blooming valley". Built at her own expense in the Greek revivalist style with convict labour, the sandstone museum opened to the public on 26 October 1843. The museum displayed Tasmanian memorabilia, books, botanical specimens, sculptures, and other items from Lady Franklin's personal collection. Her hopes for the parklands to be transformed into a botanic garden never materialised. When the Franklins departed Tasmania in 1853, the museum and estate were entrusted to the nearby Queen's College, which itself was purchased by the Hutchins School in 1893. During this period, Lady Franklin's artefacts were dispersed, large portions of the parklands were sold for housing and the museum became a storehouse for apples.The museum and parklands remained privately owned and in a state of disrepair until they were purchased by the Hobart City Council in 1921. The Art Society of Tasmania located to the premises in 1949. The Lady Franklin Gallery is designated on the Tasmanian Heritage Register.