Curator Conversation: Mephisto's Compass and the Process of Authenticity

Authenticity, the sense of ‘seeing the real thing’, has been identified as a particularly satisfying visitor experience. It gives us a sense of being transported and of making profound connections with the past, self and present.

So how do we as a museum determine authenticity? Particularly in relation to a high-stakes object like Mephisto, the sole surviving A7V Sturmpanzerwagen in the world.

Join Senior Curator Dr Liz Bissell as she describes the process of determining the provenance of the Mephisto compass donated earlier this year and considers the relationship between authenticity and engagement.

About the presenter

Dr Liz Bissell is the Senior Curator, Queensland Stories, in the Cultures & Histories team at Queensland Museum. Liz has an academic background in Australian Literature and History and over 20 years of experience in research with a focus on Queensland identity and culture. Liz is committed to ensuring that community access and engagement is central to museum collections with respect to the ways in which objects and stories can provide a sense of identity, encourage diverse communities and reflect contemporary Queensland life.