It has been honoured for its industrial heritage significance to the nation’s development.

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Australian Memory of the World Register contains a select list of Australia’s unique, irreplaceable and influential collections and documents, all of which are vital in telling of Australia’s history both here and around the world. 

The Museum’s archive collection dating from 1910 to 1986 is one of 11 new inscriptions to be added to the Australian Memory of the World Register. 

Lithgow’s museum was one of three regional museums to make the list, with the Museum being the only Lithgow based organisation featured in the Australian Memory of the World Register. 

“This is such a prestigious award so to get this national and international recognition just shows the importance of Lithgow and the Australian history that we provide,” Small Arms Factory Museum president Renzo Benedet said. 

“Lithgow should be proud of what they have here, it’s a testament to them because the town owns this museum.” 

The Small Arms Museum is not publicly funded, only using revenue they collect from people visiting the museum and from government grants to keep the place up and running. 

“It is tribute to the City of Lithgow and to its many men and women who forged an undeniable and lasting memory,” Mr Benedet said. 

The museum consists of approximately 35,000 records from employee records through to photographic material, blueprints, and plans and technical specifications. 

They provide detailed records of Australia’s primary rifle production facility across both 1914-18 and 1939-45 world wars. 

“The Factory was the first precision engineering works to be built in Australia and followed the US rather than the British model of mass production, precision-based advanced manufacturing,” Mr Benedet said. 

 “It was the first to introduce computer-controlled cutting machines for military and commercial production.”

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Custodian of the museum Donna White said, since opening in 1996 the museum has worked hard to assemble, preserve and update the collection.  

“What is most pleasing about the museum is the fact it holds the history and the positioning of Lithgow through the work of the factory,” she said. 

“We now bring something quite unique internationally with the combination of firearms and precision manufacturing machinery under one roof.” 

Ms White also said if anyone had relatives or documents from the Small Arms Factory, the contribution would be most welcome. 

Mr Benedet said that this award will provide a great partnership with national and international organisations. 

“This recognition will bring a boost for Lithgow tourism as international organisations and people will be able to see us on the register,” he said. 

Archivist Kerry Guerin said this is the only museum of its kind in the world. 

“We display not only firearms and equipment but documents, foreign orders, papers, employee documents and make sure they are all preserved,” he said. 

“We are quite a unique museum and we are all very proud of this achievement.” 

A formal inscription ceremony is to be held in late February at the State Library of NSW where the Museum will be officially honoured. 

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