Alessandra Schultz

Alessandra Schultz is the Assistant Collection Manager of Cultures & Histories at Queensland Museum Tropics in Townsville, primarily responsible for managing the Maritime Archaeology and Social History collections.

Since 2015, Alessandra has worked throughout Queensland Museum, as a volunteer, honorary, and staff member, across all campuses. Initially joining Queensland Museum as a volunteer, Alessandra became a member of the Visitor Experience team in 2017, and the Cultures & Histories program in 2020.

Alessandra’s current role is dynamic and wide-ranging. She manages collection care and access, loans facilitation and logistics, object photography, database management, storage solutions, collection-based research, acquisition processing, and registration activities. In addition, Alessandra provides conservation, curatorial, and exhibitions support, and delivers public access to the collection. Her collections experience ranges from the fields of Archaeology and Ancient History to Social History, Transport, and Technology.

Throughout her time with Queensland Museum, Alessandra has also worked at the RD Milns Antiquities Museum at the University of Queensland (2018-2023) in various curatorial and research roles. Her background in Ancient World Studies informs her interdisciplinary approach to contemporary histories and societies. Alessandra’s research interests lie with the power of objects and material culture to highlight intercultural connections and relationships in historical and contemporary contexts.

As a caretaker of cultural heritage, Alessandra is an advocate for increasing the accessibility and discoverability of museum collections via online mediums. For Alessandra, museums have the potential to act as public platforms for social change, enabling reflection on the past in order to inform the future.

An early career professional, Alessandra is the recipient of a variety of museum and discipline-related prizes and scholarships awarded by the University of Queensland’s Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Faculty.

Projects

Collection management (Physical & Digital)

• HMS Pandora Collection (Maritime Archaeology) – Queensland Museum, 2023-present
• T-House Model Rail Collection (Transport) – Queensland Museum, 2022-2023
• Ben Ronalds Collection of Fine Ceramics & Glassware (Social History) – Queensland Museum, 2020-2021
• Richard Daintree Photographic Collection (Social History) – Queensland Museum, 2021

Curatorial & Exhibitions

• HINDSIGHT: Selected New Acquisitions 2000-2020 – RD Milns Antiquities Museum, 2022
• Etruscans – RD Milns Antiquities Museum, 2018

Digital Projects

• Contested Histories: Photographs from Mandate Palestine in the JH Iliffe Collection – RD Milns Antiquities Museum, 2019-2020
• Dionysos: Portrait of a God – RD Milns Antiquities Museum, 2019

Research Projects

• First World War Antiquities Project – RD Milns Antiquities Museum, 2020-2021