They estimate the museum (the old maternity hospital site) on Williwa Street contains just ten percent of Charlie Pinch and Valerie Risby’s collection, which currently occupies several sheds on a Portland property.

“Dad and Mum collected it together. That was their life, they just lived for saving the history of the district of Portland,” Ms Fulton said.

“He [Dad] didn’t want it all to fade away, he wanted to save it, that’s what his wishes were. That’s what we’ve tried to do over the past ten years, we’ve had a lot of knock backs and this is the most promising opportunity of them all so we hope it continues that way.

“We’ve just opened up to start it.”

AWJ Civil, the owner of the Portland cement works have granted the museum a ten year lease including an unused shed at the back of The Glen.

“It wouldn’t have happened without them,” said Premula Sangarananda, the museum’s manager.

“There is a shed at the back, which we will use. The intention is that the whole thing will become the local museum. There are some fantastic items that we could not fit in here.”

A current highlight of the museum, is the recreation of an old ward using items from the old Portland hospital, including an 100-year-old operating table, uniforms, posters and even a bottle of mercury.

“Coming in here you realise how far we've gone with modern medicine,” Ms Sangarananda said.

Some items that the museum’s organisers are looking forward to putting on display in the future are Portland’s old band hall and machinery from the cement works.

The museum is open from 11am-4pm Thursday to Sunday, and its official opening night is on Friday, April 20, at 6pm.

If you are interested in volunteering at the museum email theglenmuseum@gmail.com

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