The Gold Museum manages the collections of The Sovereign Hill Museums Association and the Ballarat Historical Society and serves as the regional museum for the Ballarat and central goldfields area. The Association holds some 100,000 items located at both Sovereign Hill Outdoor Museum and in the Gold Museum.

Collections in the Outdoor Museum are focused on the gold mining and social history of Ballarat, with key collections in mining technology and the working and domestic lives of the people of Ballarat.

The collections housed in the Gold Museum cover areas well beyond mining history and researchers are encouraged to explore the range of collection areas held.

The Gold Museum houses a diverse range of historical collections including objects, archival records and photographs. Researchers can search a proportion of the collection online and can make an appointment to gain access to the full collections.

The Gold Museum Collection includes:

• Jessica and Paul Simon Gold Collection – 900 gold coins, alluvial samples.
• Ballarat Historical Society Collection – includes around 2500 photographs, miscellaneous documents, and artefacts associated with Ballarat history.
• Social History Collection – A collection of material relating to Ballarat’s history. Includes some business records, mining records, a small collection of personal papers and material associated with Ballarat events and organisations. Collections represented include: the Beggs family archive, Ballarat Industrial Exhibitions, the Avenue of Honour, the Ballarat Music Lovers Club and the Ballarat Orphanage.
• Anott-Rogers Chinese Collection – 2500 items of Chinese decorative art, textiles, costume and photographs collected in China around 1900.
• FitzGerald Postcard Collection – 30,000 postcards including special focus on Ballarat, World War One, history of world tourism, Australian card series.
• Adam Lindsay Gordon Collection – documents, photos and memorabilia originally displayed in the cottage in the Ballarat Botanic Gardens until the 1980s.
• The Sovereign Hill Museums Association Archives – large collection of photos, files and published material on the history of Sovereign Hill from 1960s to present day.
  Rare Book Collection – large collection of historical publications focussing on gold rush history.
• Bolte Collection – collection of items presented to Sir Henry Bolte who served as Premier of Victoria from 1955 – 1972.
• Pern Collection – significant Aboriginal and Pacific Island artefacts on loan from the Ballarat City Council.
• Pioneer Chair Collection – primitive handmade Australian chairs and related furniture.
• Eureka Collection – small collection of artefacts, memorabilia and books relating to the 1854 Eureka Stockade Uprising
• Costume Collection – a signifiicant collection including domestic, work wear, bridal, debutante and uniforms.
• Business and Community archives – holdings of company records of Ballarat based businesses including John Valves, Walter Davis, Ballarat Region Girl Guides, Ballarat Orphanage and Ballarat National Theatre.
• Personal records – Beggs Family papers (Eurambeem), Jessie Scott (first female Mayor of Ballarat), Bert Strange archives, Peter Cox Collection.

Research is by appointment ONLY, ph: 03 5337 1107 or you may complete an enquiry form at the Gold Museum reception desk.