MADE explored the powerful story of the Eureka Stockade and life on the Gold Fields in the 1850s as a significant part of the struggle for peoples’ rights in Australia and around the world.
MADE commemorated the pivotal role of the Stockade in shaping Australia’s democracy.
This is where a group of largely young people fought injustice, and won some of the first democratic rights in the world.
The key feature of the exhibition was the original Eureka Flag that was first flown at the site of the Centre during the Eureka Rebellion in 1854.


MADE’s permanent exhibition used innovative digital immersion to engage visitors with the questions: What is democracy and why do we care?
Why has it been fought for, yesterday and today?
What does it feel like to be without power?
Combining contemporary technology with historic objects, the role of the people as the centre of democracy was explored.
How are decisions made?
Who are they made for?
What influence do you have in our contemporary democracy today?
  
Through a series of public programs and temporary exhibitions, visitors were inspired to explore diversity, creativity and the hidden stories of the past and present.
As a centre of discussion on contemporary democracy, MADE hosted some of Australia’s most creative thinkers through partnerships with The Wheeler Centre and Melbourne Writers Festival.
 In its time, the Museum welcomed Anne Summers, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Clare Wright, Deng Adut, Gail Kelly and many more.

The Museum also housed the Quilt of Hope, a community art project created by the Moving Towards Justice group which commemorated the lives of victims of institutional sexual abuse in Ballarat.
After the Museum was closed, the Quilt of Hope was donated to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra.

The Museum's regular exhibitions brought wide praise, including
The Campaign for Disability Rights: Grassroots Democracy
Bling which brought together Gold Fields jewellery for the first time in 2016
Chinese Fortunes which examined the migration experience from China.
Chinese Fortunes travelled to The Immigration Museum in Melbourne and the Kyenton Museum, in regional Victoria.

Our Wonderful World
Roses from the Heart 
Historyonics: the Monster Petition
Eureka Day anniversary celebrations, particularly the 160th anniversary and the recreation of the Eureka Flag by descendants.

Between its opening in 2013 and closure in 2018, the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka had more than 262,000 visitors, with almost 40,000 visits from students attending the highly regarded primary and secondary schools program.

During its five years of operation, MADE won a number of awards:
2017 Commerce Ballarat's Visit Ballarat Business Excellence Awards for Special Events and Attractions
2015 Winner for Innovation in the MAGNA Awards run by Museum and Galleries National for the Eureka Day 160th Anniversary Program
2013 Achievement Award for Excellence in category of Partner, VCAL promotion from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
2013 Eureka Democracy Award from Eureka's Children.
MADE explored the powerful story of the Eureka Stockade and life on the Gold Fields in the 1850s as a significant part of the struggle for peoples’ rights in Australia and around the world. MADE commemorated the pivotal role of the Stockade in shaping Australia’s democracy. This is where a group of largely young people fought injustice, and won some of the first democratic rights in the world. The key feature of the exhibition was the original Eureka Flag that was first flown at the site of the Centre during the Eureka Rebellion in 1854.

MADE’s permanent exhibition used innovative digital immersion to engage visitors with the questions: What is democracy and why do we care? Why has it been fought for, yesterday and today? What does it feel like to be without power? Combining contemporary technology with historic objects, the role of the people as the centre of democracy was explored. How are decisions made? Who are they made for? What influence do you have in our contemporary democracy today?   
Through a series of public programs and temporary exhibitions, visitors were inspired to explore diversity, creativity and the hidden stories of the past and present. As a centre of discussion on contemporary democracy, MADE hosted some of Australia’s most creative thinkers through partnerships with The Wheeler Centre and Melbourne Writers Festival.  In its time, the Museum welcomed Anne Summers, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Clare Wright, Deng Adut, Gail Kelly and many more.
The Museum also housed the Quilt of Hope, a community art project created by the Moving Towards Justice group which commemorated the lives of victims of institutional sexual abuse in Ballarat. After the Museum was closed, the Quilt of Hope was donated to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra.
The Museum's regular exhibitions brought wide praise, including
The Campaign for Disability Rights: Grassroots Democracy
Bling which brought together Gold Fields jewellery for the first time in 2016
Chinese Fortunes which examined the migration experience from China. Chinese Fortunes travelled to The Immigration Museum in Melbourne and the Kyenton Museum, in regional Victoria.
Our Wonderful World
Roses from the Heart 
Historyonics: the Monster Petition
Eureka Day anniversary celebrations, particularly the 160th anniversary and the recreation of the Eureka Flag by descendants. 
Between its opening in 2013 and closure in 2018, the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka had more than 262,000 visitors, with almost 40,000 visits from students attending the highly regarded primary and secondary schools program.
During its five years of operation, MADE won a number of awards:
2017 Commerce Ballarat's Visit Ballarat Business Excellence Awards for Special Events and Attractions
2015 Winner for Innovation in the MAGNA Awards run by Museum and Galleries National for the Eureka Day 160th Anniversary Program
2013 Achievement Award for Excellence in category of Partner, VCAL promotion from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
2013 Eureka Democracy Award from Eureka's Children.
Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka