Surveying Instrument Museum

Over the years the School of Surveying and Geospatial Engineering (formerly Schools of Surveying, Geomatic Engineering and Surveying, and Spatial Information Systems) of the University of New South Wales has collected a number of valuable instruments both from donations and in-house collection.

Our collection contains 164 valuable instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries grouped into four categories: Scientific and Mathematical Instruments, Theodolites, Levelling Instruments, and Electronic Distance Measurements (EDM) Instruments. This virtual museum has historical instruments such as the first commercial electro-optical distance meter (AGA Model NASM-2A Geodimeter), the Geodetic Micrometer Theodolite used for setting-out of the Sydney Harbour bridge, and a number of instruments donated by the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electro Authority (SMHEA).

Unfortunately these instruments are not publicly accessible, however, from time to time, they are loaned to museums to display at public exhibitions. In the meantime take a look at this virtual museum for a comprehensive catalogue of the instrument collection.

AGA Geodimeter
AGA Geodimeter Model NASM-2A
The first commercially available electro-optical distance meter.