Waves of Migration
Explore Australia's immigration history.
In this curriculum-aligned excursion secondary students use museum objects and documents to explore Australia’s immigration history over time.
By examining immigration across different periods, students identify change and continuity in the causes and consequences of immigration, as well as shifting societal attitudes, drawing meaningful connections between the past and present.
Through the analysis of historical and contemporary sources, students develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of migration and cultural diversity in Australia.
Students will experience
- Examining museum artefacts and documents to discover key details about immigration during different periods in Australia’s history.
- Sharing ideas in groups.
- Building a chronology of Australian immigration policies and over the last 230 years.
- Exploring the museum’s galleries following the workshop to consolidate and extend learning.
Students will learn
- Diverse social, economic, political, environmental, and personal factors that influence migration.
- The impact of government immigration policies on Australian society.
- Societal attitudes towards immigration in Australia and the factors that influence these attitudes.
- The significance of immigration in Australia’s history.
In the galleries, students will use a booklet to:
- Build on their learning by exploring the personal experiences of migrants.
- Extend their understanding of how Australia’s immigration policies have changed over time.
Students will be provided
- A booklet to take back to school which will guide them through the galleries and to record their findings.
Students will need
- Pen or pencil.
Availability
Terms 1–4, Monday to Thursday
Duration: 45 minute workshop followed by 45 minute gallery visit
Student information
Years 9 to 10, VCE
Minimum 15 students
Maximum 50 students
Bookings
$11 per student + education service fee
Call 13 11 02 or submit an online booking request
Workshop
Presented by a museum educator
Victorian Curriculum Links
History Levels 9 and 10
Investigation: Australia (1750-1914)
- significant events, ideas, people, groups and movements that contributed to continuity and change in Australian society between 1750 and 1914 (VC2HH10K09)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’, local-born colonists’ and migrants’ experiences and perspectives of continuity and change between 1750 and 1914 (VC2HH10K10)
The globalising world (1945–present)
- causes and consequences of significant post-1945 world events, ideas and developments, and their influences on Australia after 1945 (VC2HH10K38)
- continuities and/or changes caused by a major global influence, development and/or event after 1945 (VC2HH10K39)
Intercultural Capability: Levels 9 and 10
Culture, identity and belonging
- how diverse cultures, including their own, influence one another in a range of contexts and how this impacts identity and a sense of belonging and inclusion (VC2CI10C01)
- ways in which intercultural relations and intercultural experiences are influenced by policies and practices of a range of institutions (VC2CI10C02)
VCE History
Unit 3 and 4: Australian History
- Area of study 1: Creating a nation (1834–1913)
Accessibility
Please view our accessibility page for general information. A sensory map of Melbourne Museum can be found on our Visual Stories page where step-by-step visual and written access guides are available. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at schools@museum.vic.gov.au to discuss how we can support your visit.
Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund
The Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund aims to enhance access to our museums (Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and Immigration Museum), programs and events by offering free or subsidised education programs for eligible schools. Find out more about the fund.
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