Joanna Nicholas is Curator in the House Museums Portfolio, responsible for Vaucluse, Elizabeth Bay and Rose Seidler Houses. She is passionate about the immersive experiences house museums can provide for visitors – the power of their collections, gardens and grounds.Joanna has been a Curator at Sydney Living Museums for over fifteen years, with roles at  the Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, Meroogal and Government Houses. As well as continuing to conserve, interpret and maintain SLM’s house museums Joanna is interested in identifying and sharing new stories about them with our audiences. She curated the 2017 Meroogal Women’s Art Prize and coordinates SLM’s volunteer Soft Furnishings Group.

Following degrees in Fine Arts (Hons) and Museum Studies at the University of Sydney, Joanna  worked for the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and also taught Sydney University’s  Museum Studies Unit. She is a reviewer for the Standards Program for Museums and Galleries NSW  and is a member of the Collections Committee for the National Trust.

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