u/cybreco

The Internet Pattern Book is an ongoing effort I've been working on to develop an archive and sortable resource to showcase tilable backgrounds used in early web design. To date, it contains 253 patterns that you can browse and download by style or color. These are taken as background assets from various defunct sites on Geocities circa the 2000s.

During the HTML era of web design, repeating background assets known as tiles were used frequently to minimise bandwidth. These used simple but elegant principles about patterns and tessellation to create the illusion of a fully illustrated background. Over time, their use declined, but their whimsy typifies the design of the early Internet, 9x/iMac desktop wallpapers, Geocities and Angelfire user pages.

You can find a web version at https://internetpatternbook.neocities.org/.

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The Newcastle Regional Museum was a museum housed in the Castlemaine Brewery site between Hunter and Parry Street in Newcastle West from 1988 to 2008. In 2011, it relocated to its current site in the Honeysuckle Point Railway Workshops as Newcastle Museum.

I have many fond memories of the museum, and I'm sure if you experienced the museum, you did too. As a kid in Lake Macquarie, I didn't have reason to come into the city much, so my recollection of the Newcastle CBD during the early 2000s prominently includes being taken to the museum to run wild around the top floor of the Supernova interactive science exhibits. It was a strange building: a modern history and science museum in the husk of a gorgeous fortress of old bricks, and even back then those contradictions gave a sense the museum felt dated by its edifice, dark corners and corridors. It felt absolutely unlike any museum I've been to since.

Despite this, little record of the Regional Museum era survives online. The best surviving audiovisual record seems to be a VHS recording of a user's walk-through of the museum in 2007. I decided to take a deep dive in attempt to see what information can be found.

I hope this post can give you a bit of nostalgia or a sense of what the old Museum was like. Reach out and DM me if you can think of any use for this information beyond Reddit.

A quick background

The Newcastle Regional Museum was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 May 1988, during the royal visit for the Bicentenary. According to this document, the concept of a major regional museum was floated by the Bicentennial Community Committee as part of renewal of the city during this period, and was funded from the City Council and federal regional and arts grants. This included a $1 million purchase of the Castlemaine Brewery, a series of buildings between 1876-1960 constructed as a local brewery and regional entity of the Castlemaine Brewery in Victoria.

Permanent exhibits and points of interest

Supernova

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According to NMA, Supernova was the project of the Supernova Science Centre, which pre-existed the museum as the work of Prof. Tim and Adrienne Roberts in the 70s. Exhibits were first developed as interactive exhibits for the 1980 Newcastle Show. Its corporate iteration for the museum as Friends of Supernova Inc was established in 1986; this entity would maintain all the displays and gadgetry.

It sat on the top floor of the museum, and was such a blast: there were optical illusions, interactive science experiments, wobbly mirrors, and two large dishes that allow you to speak to someone on the other end of the floor. As the 90s rolled on, there were a few computers added into the mix. A smaller subsection for younger children, Mininova, which I think had a small playground, was also created in 1996.

Check the walk-through from the 15:45 mark.

How Shall We Live? (2003)

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How Shall We Live? was an exhibit that explored objects from the Museum collection that told interesting personal stories as curated by author Marion Halligan, funded by the NSW Ministry of the Arts.

Earthquake (15 November 1999)

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Earthquake exhibited the impacts of the 1989 Newcastle Earthquake, depicting audiovisual records of the event, a model of the collapsed Newcastle Workers Club, objects and statues damaged in the quake, a seismograph, and art inspired by the event.

The Age of Steam (1997)

The Age of Steam was sponsored by the Institution of Engineers and featured 12 working models of early steam engines, including the Newcomen atmospheric engine and early steam trains.

Turn of the Century Workshop (?)

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The Turn of the Century Workshop depicts early machines that supported the Hunter's manufacturing industry, such as an anvil lathe, shaper, and steam-powered drive belt.

Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame (1993)

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The Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame exhibited a database of accomplished athletes from the Hunter region and exhibits relating to the sporting history of the area. The Department of Sport and Recreation helped maintain the database.

Shadows of Wire: Hunter stories of the Great War 1914 – 1918 (1996)

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Shadows of Wire was a WW1 themed exhibit outlining the experiences of Hunter residents who served in WW1. Eight sections cover the training, service, theatres of battle, weapons, nursing and return of soldiers, using artifacts, letters and photographs. I can't find any mention or photos of it, but it had an impressive recreation of a trench. In 2004, it was relocated; from memory, its usual home was in a building adjoining the main one.

Nursing Women of the Royal Newcastle Hospital (1993)

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The Nursing Women exhibit was a history of the role of nurses at the hospital in Newcastle East, with a focus on their working life, the history of the building, and the medical tools they used in surgeries.

The Museum Mine (1990)

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The Museum Mine was an exhibit exploring the role of coal mining in the Hunter, creating a simulated mining tunnel and models to convey the conditions of being a miner. It was sponsored by the Newcastle Branch of the Institution of Engineers.

Mixed Mobs (2001)

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Mixed Mobs was an exhibit on the contributions of the Aboriginal community to the Hunter region was launched as a permanent exhibit in 2001. The exhibit contains works such as a bark canoe, boomerangs and hunting sticks, and features audiovisual interviews with local public figures. It was developed in partnership with the Hunter Valley Aboriginal Community. A virtual tour sadly doesn't seem to have survived.

The Fossil Tree (1990)

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The Fossil Tree was a fossilized araucarioxylon tree from 245 million years ago displayed in the main foyer of the museum. Both the fossil and its supporting frame weigh seven tonnes.

LP 284 (1995)

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LP 284 was Newcastle's last passenger 'toast-rack' tram which ran to June 1950. According to Trolley Wire, the vehicle was acquired by the Museum around November 1995. It sat in the Museum's rear courtyard. You might recall this is prominently featured in the new museum.

Museum Gift Shop

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No museum would be complete without a gift shop featuring science-themed trinkets.

Timeline

Miraculously, a list of permanent exhibit dates has been preserved online:

	EXHIBITION	OPENED
1988	Remnants of Green (permanent exhibition demounted 25 Oct 99)	12 May 88
1988	"The Valley" : Fibre Wall	30 Nov 88
1990	The Museum Mine	27 Apr 90
1990	The Fossil Tree	23 May 90
1991	In Blizzard Bound (permanent exhibition demounted 04 Feb 01)	13 Sep 91
1991	Raven's Survival	13 Sep 91
1992	Terracotta Australis	07 Mar 92
1992	Science in Sport	07 Apr 92
1992	What on Earth?	18 Dec 92
1993	Nursing Women of Royal Newcastle Hospital	14 May 93
1993	Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame	01 Aug 93
1996	Shadows of Wire ... Hunter Stories of the Great War 1914-1918	26 Apr 96
1996	Supernova - early childhood section "Mininova"	07 Jan 96
1997	The Age of Steam	05 Sep 97
2001	Mixed Mobs: Indigenous Australians and the Hunter	22 Feb 01
2003	How Shall We Live ?	20 Feb 03
2004	A Brief History of Newcastle	24 Mar 04

Temporary exhibits

Eaten Alive: The World of Predators

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Eaten Alive was a Questacon exhibit that showcased the biology of natural predators, such as sharks, crocodiles, lions. An interactive animation helps visitors have an encounter with a shark. This is one that infamously featured an enormous model of a funnel web spider - thanks for the lifelong fear of spiders!

Studio Snapshot! (2005)

Studio Snapshot was an exhibition of cameras from various eras in the community access space.

Sport: More than Heroes and Legends (2005)

Sport: More than Heroes and Legends was a sports-themed exhibit featuring 500 items, mostly loaned from the MCG Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum. It features a range of sporting-themed artefacts, including items relating to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Gambling in Australia: Thrills, spills and social ills (2004-05)

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Gambling in Australia was a touring exhibition loaned from the Powerhouse Museum. It looked at gambling machines and memorabilia from Australia and abroad, featuring a range of poker machines and interactive exhibits that explored probability, and discussed problem gambling.

Works Wonders: Stories about home remedies (2004-05)

Works Wonders was a touring exhibition loaned from the Powerhouse Museum. It examined sickness and forms of medicine used across the past century, featuring an interactive pharmacy where visitors could 'ask the chemist' for remedies from the 1930s for common ailments.

INTECH (2004)

INTECH was an exhibition of outstanding major works from HSC Industrial technology students from students in the Hunter, Sydney, North and South Coast, and Blue Mountains.

Earth Quest (2004)

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Earth Quest was an exhibition on loan from Questacon sometime in 2004, featuring 30 different activities relating to geology, geography, environmental science and biology.

Terrosaurus (2001-02)

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Terrosaurus was an exhibit leased from Questacon. The aim of the exhibit was to challenge the myths and assumptions around how dinosaurs lived and behaved, based on palentological research. It featured eight robotic dinosaurs, including one tending to a nest of hatchlings.

Wild Science (2000)

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A science-themed touring exhibit sponsored by BHP.

Whodunit? Mystery at Menagerie Park (2000)

A forensic-themed touring exhibit developed by Questacon and the Perth Scitech Discovery Centre. According to other sources, this involved solving a crime in a wildlife park through 24 interactive exhibits. From my own memory, it was a poaching of a rhino, and you had to identify suspects, find fingerprints, that sort of thing.

Tomorrow's Drivers (1992, 1996)

Tomorrow's Drivers was commissioned by the NRMA in partnership with Questacon to introduce road safety principles to primary and secondary students. It featured eight interactive displays demonstrating concepts such as judging speed, reaction time and peripheral vision. A computerised exhibit named Marvin demonstrated the impacts of alcohol on reaction times.

Mathematica (1990)

According to Questacon, a maths-themed exhibit named Mathematica was the first regional venue to host a Questacon exhibition in 1990. IBM may have sponsored the exhibit.

Divvy Day (1988-1990)

Divvy Day exhibited the history of the large co-operative across the road, housed in The Store. Curator Liz Gilroy stated that the choice to make this the first major exhibit in the museum was to showcase a familiar and accessible topic with a strong regional identity. A supporting book survives and can be read on Hunter Living Histories.

Other exhibits

Miraculously, a list of historical exhibits has been preserved online:

	EXHIBITION	OPENED	CLOSED
1988	Shroud of Turin	28 Mar 88	24 Apr 88
1988	Newcastle City Council Exhibition	02 Apr 88	04 Aug 98
1988	Co-operative Store Exhibition	01 May 88	14 Sep 90
1988	"No Easy Road" - Trade Union Exhibition	13 Oct 88	09 Jan 89
1988	Hunter Valley People	01 Dec 88	05 Mar 89
1989	Lost Worlds ... Kadimakara	09 Jun 89	01 Feb 90
1990	What on Earth ?	09 Feb 90	18 Feb 91
1990	Give the Past a Future	21 Apr 90	21 Jun 90
1990	IBM Mathematica	29 Jun 90	28 Oct 90
1990	Medical Research Week	10 Aug 90	17 Aug 90
1990	The Unknown Immigrants: Sorbs	06 Sep 90	12 Sep 90
1990	Dinosaurs Alive !	14 Sep 90	17 Nov 90
1990	Ultralights	18 Dec 90	31 Jan 91
1991	Science and the Revolution	22 Feb 91	17 May 91
1991	Seized : Goods confiscated by Australian Customs	17 May 91	16 Aug 91
1991	Keep on Weaving	29 Jun 91	11 May 92
1991	Medical Research Week	02 Aug 91	09 Aug 91
1991	CSIRO - Science for Survival	20 Sep 91	13 Apr 92
1991	Monsters of the Deep	28 Sep 91	08 Dec 91
1992	OTC - From Settlement to Satellites	06 Feb 92	19 Oct 92
1992	The Parrot, The Baker, The Ship's Biscuit Maker : Arnott's Biscuits	08 May 92	30 Jan 93
1992	NRMA - Tomorrow's Drivers	14 Oct 92	14 Dec 92
1992	Aboriginal Australia	13 Nov 92	21 Feb 93
1992	Windows on Eternity : The Painted Icon	11 Dec 92	26 Sep 93
1992	Street Science	19 Dec 92	14 Feb 93
1993	Life of the Past	26 May 93	13 Aug 93
1993	Starlab	18 Jun 93	01 Jul 93
1993	Showman : The Photography of Frank Hurley	19 Oct 93	12 Dec 93
1993	Mum Stayed Home	05 Nov 93	18 Jan 94
1993	Mitey Science	16 Nov 93	31 Jan 94
1994	Questacon Maths Centre	21 Feb 94	31 Jan 94
1994	Public Phones : Private Stories	04 Feb 94	24 Apr 94
1994	Megafun with Computers	07 Jun 94	28 Aug 94
1994	Shark !	21 Jun 94	12 Aug 94
1994	Eric - The Opalised Pliosar	29 Jun 94	10 Jul 94
1994	Microcosm	16 Sep 94	23 May 95
1994	Gargantuans from the Garden	26 Oct 94	19 Feb 95
1994	Young Scientist	15 Dec 94	27 Mar 95
1995	Skeletons	10 Mar 95	10 Sep 95
1995	Work it Out	12 Apr 95	07 May 95
1995	Making Our Mark	29 Apr 95	19 Jul 95
1995	Home Furnishing	12 Aug 95	05 Nov 95
1995	ANZAAS	22 Sep 95	28 Sep 95
1995	NRMA - Tomorrow's Drivers	16 Oct 95	28 Jan 96
1995	John Curtain	20 Nov 95	28 Apr 96
1995	Young Scientist	15 Dec 95	25 Feb 96
1996	Comic Book	06 Feb 96	12 May 96
1996	Between Two Worlds	04 May 96	06 Oct 96
1996	Spark	07 Jun 96	13 Oct 96
1996	Forbidden Love - Bold Passion	04 Jul 96	27 Sep 96
1996	Made with Meaning	04 Oct 96	15 Dec 96
1996	Whales	02 Nov 96	02 Feb 97
1996	ICAC - Corruption Matters	06 Nov 96	29 Jan 97
1997	Young Scientist	30 Jan 97	16 Mar 97
1997	Polish Association - (Community Access Space)	22 Feb 97	22 May 97
1997	BHP Wildscience	01 Mar 97	13 Jul 97
1997	POW Association - (Community Access Space)	-	-
1997	Thalassa - Greek Australians and the Sea	19 Apr 97	27 Jul 97
1997	Real Wild Child	26 Jul 97	26 Oct 97
1997	Hunter Gay & Lesbian Interagency - (Community Access Space)	-	-
1997	Midnight Grocer	29 Aug 97	07 Dec 97
1997	TAFE Design Department - (Community Access Space)	-	-
1997	Powerplay	20 Dec 97	15 Mar 98
1998	Titanic	10 Mar 98	10 May 98
1998	Off the Planet	24 Mar 98	19 Jul 98
1998	Scene Stealers	01 May 98	26 Jul 98
1998	Taking Precautions	04 Aug 98	25 Oct 98
1998	Gargantuans from the Garden	08 Aug 98	25 Oct 98
1998	Leonardo DaVinci	16 Oct 98	24 Jan 99
1998	Ghosts of the Russian Dinosaurs	07 Nov 98	02 May 99
1999	Cut and Paste	12 Feb 99	20 Mar 99
1999	SOCOG	16 Feb 99	26 Feb 99
1999	Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) - Open Day	29 Apr 99	-
1999	Supernova / NRM : High School Bilby Competition	01 May 99	-
1999	Young Scientist - (Powerhouse Museum)	11 May 99	06 Jun 99
1999	Questacon Science Circus	15 Jun 99	20 Jun 99
1999	"Bydand" - 75th Anniversary - Newcastle City RSL Pipe Band - (CAS)	14 Jun 99	26 Aug 99
1999	Florey - (National Archives)	01 Jul 99	26 Aug 99
1999	Frogs - (Newcastle Regional Museum)	09 Jul 99	29 Aug 99
1999	Courage to Care	03 Aug 99	22 Aug 99
1999	CIRCUS - (Powerhouse Museum)	09 Sep 99	02 Apr 00
1999	Indigenous Australians - (Australian Museum)	24 Sep 99	16 Dec 99
1999	Marching Koalas - (Community Access Space)	10 Oct 99	30 Jan 00
1999	Through the Rearview Mirror - (National Archives)	17 Dec 99	06 Feb 00
2000	A Traveller's Guide to Greta - (History of the Greta Migrant Camp) (CAS)	03 Feb 00	02 Apr 00
2000	WHODUNIT ? - (Questacon - National Science and Technology Centre)	11 Feb 00	04 Jun 00
2000	Night Skies : The Art Of Deep Space - (British Council)	19 Feb 00	30 Apr 00
2000	Young Scientist - (Powerhouse Museum)	13 Apr 00	15 May 00
2000	Supernova / NRM : High School Bilby Competition	07 May 00	-
2000	Questacon Maths Centre	03 May 00	29 Jun 00
2000	More Than Dinosaurs - (Australian Museum)	11 May 00	07 Jul 00
2000	Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) - Open Day	25 May 00	-
2000	The Grass is Greener - Genetic Engineering for Beginners	17 Jun 00	22 Oct 00
2000	Out in the Cold - Australia's Involvement in the Korean War - (AWM)	11 Aug 00	08 Oct 00
2000	Sign, Sealed & Delivered - When Post Office was King - (National Archives)	11 Sep 00	04 Mar 01
2000	Celebrating Biodiversity in the Hunter - (Community Access Space)	08 Sep 00	03 Dec 00
2000	Home-made Treasures (Edith Cowan University - Museum of Childhood)	29 Sep 00	18 Mar 01
2000	Young Artists	05 Nov 00	19 Nov 00
2000	Newcastle Uni Final Year Architecture, Illustration and Design Exhbn.	27 Nov 00	30 Nov 00
2001	The Great Train Show - (Newcastle Regional Museum)	03 Jan 01	29 Apr 01
2001	Light House - (Adelaide University School of Architecture)	18 Jan 01	18 Feb 01
2001	Young Scientist - (Powerhouse Museum)	22 Feb 01	15 Mar 01
2001	Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) - Open Day	02 May 01	03 May 01
2001	Australian Science Week Activities	05 May 01	11 May 01
2001	Forging The Nation - Federation: the first 20 Years - (AWM)	19 Jun 01	23 Sep 01
2001	Body Art - (Australian Museum)	11 Aug 01	28 Oct 01
2001	Terrorsaurus - (Questacon - National Science and Technology Centre)	21 Nov 01	03 Feb 02
2002	Vietnam Voices - (Casula Powerhouse)	08 Jan 02	20 Mar 02
2002	Colour - (Australian Museum)	19 Feb 02	14 Apr 02
2002	Australia's Lost Kingdoms - (Australian Museum)	21 May 02	05 Feb 03
2002	The Elvis Collector - (Rusty Roberts - Private Collection)	05 Jul 02	15 Sep 02
2002	Young Scientist - (Powerhouse Museum)	09 Aug 02	25 Aug 02
2002	Women with Wings - (Powerhouse Museum)	15 Aug 02	06 Oct 02
2002	Two Wheeled Warriors - (National Motor Museum - Burwood)	04 Oct 02	15 Dec 02
2002	Aboriginal Studies Stage 6 - HSC Project Exhibition	23 Oct 02	21 Nov 02
2002	Crime Scene - Scientific Investigation Bureau Archives: 1945-1960	10 Dec 02	05 Mar 03
2002	Crossroads : Shanghai and the Jews in China - (Sydney Jewish Museum)	11 Dec 02	09 Feb 03
2003	Chinese Dinosaurs : Dragon Bones & Dragon Birds - (Aus Museum)	22 Mar 03	20 Jul 03
2003	Two Men - Two Wars - (Australian War Memorial)	27 Mar 03	16 May 03
2003	The Great North Road - (Convict Trail Project)	04 Apr 03	18 May 03
2003	Waste As Art - (Hunter Waste Management)	30 May 03	22 Jun 03
2003	Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) - Open Day	30 Jun 03	02 Jul 03
2003	John Horbury Hunt - Radical Architect - (Historic Houses Trust)	04 Jul 03	20 Sep 03
2003	Young Scientist - (Powerhouse Museum)	21 Aug 03	22 Sep 03
2003	Car Nuts - Collectors, Restorers & Revheads - (NRM)	28 Aug 03	16 Nov 03
2003	Supernova Co2 Dragster Challenge - (Newcastle Regional Museum)	26 Nov 03	-
2003	Koorlongka - Stories of Indigenous Childhood - (Museum of Childhood)	25 Dec 03	23 May 04
2004	Sound & Light - (Newcastle Regional Museum)	02 Jan 04	26 Apr 04
2004	Design Tech - Major Design Projects from HSC Design & Technology	02 Apr 04	26 Apr 04
2004	Waste As Art - (Hunter Waste Management)	05 Jun 04	04 Jul 04
2004	Supernova Co2 Dragster Challenge - (Newcastle Regional Museum)	22 Jun 04	-
2004	Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) - Open Day	29 Jun 04	-
2004	InTech - An exhibition of outstanding Industrial Technology Projects	10 Jul 04	10 Oct 04
2004	Young Scientist - (Powerhouse Museum)	25 Aug 04	26 Sep 04
2004	Gambling In Australia - Thrills, Spills & Social Ills - (Powerhouse)	04 Dec 04	01 Feb 05
2004	Earthquest - (Questacon)	07 Dec 04	28 Feb 05