The Society was founded in 1964. The current Museum and Resource Centre was built by the McKnockiter Bros in 1891-92 for the Presbyterian Church for use as a college. The building, now owned by the East Gippsland Shire Council, is maintained by members of the Society.

The museum houses many fascinating artefacts, furnishings and memorabilia in its display rooms covering themes such as War, Medicine, Photography, Telephones and Kitchenalia, while the surrounding grounds contain machinery, implements and buildings from a bygone era.

The Resource Centre contains an extensive assortment of research material: photographs (over 40,000), postcards, newspapers (microfilm), local publications, family histories, maps and advertisements.   

The museum is open every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday
from 1.00-4.00 pm

Current projects include:

• Indexing of negatives from the Creative Pictures photography business
• Scanning of catalogued photos
• Cataloguing of the Medical Room as part of the Museums Accreditation Program
• Indexing of archived records

Resources and attractions:

• Courthouse (heritage listed)
• St Mary’s Catholic Church
• Port of Bairnsdale
• Bairnsdale Cemetery c1871
• World War II Memorial Cemetery
• Bairnsdale Primary School 1865
• Railway Station c1890
• First hospital 1887
• Historic hotels
• Howitt Park historic place
• Main Street Gardens & 1911 Rotunda