Reception this way

Our exhibition puts classic Aussie motels in the spotlight!

Embark on a sentimental journey, rediscovering the quintessential Australian experience of staying in a motel in our new exhibition, Reception this way: motels – a sentimental journey with Tim Ross. 

In a land where the car has provided us with the ultimate freedom to hit the road and explore, it is no surprise that Australians wholeheartedly embraced the American concept of the motel. When motels began springing up in the 1950s, they represented a new, stylish and sophisticated way to travel. Now, you can take a nostalgic trip back in time with us, and travel around Australia revisiting your memories of the classic Aussie motel, from family holidays and long road trips in the sweltering summer heat, to continental breakfasts and mid-century mod cons…

Developed by National Archives of Australia in collaboration with comedian Tim Ross, and proudly hosted by The Workshops Rail Museum, the exhibition of photographs and promotional film footage featured in Reception this way will take you back to a time when the roadside motel was an integral part of the Australian holiday experience.

Buy tickets 

A national touring exhibition developed by the National Archives of Australia, supported by the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, an Australian Government program aiming to improve access to the national collections for all Australians.