Australian History · Architecture · People · Artefacts
Serventico / Playing Cards

Cards in Australian social life

Playing cards travelled to Australia through French and British colonial culture, then became familiar objects in homes, taverns, clubs and military life.

An imported tradition

The decks used in Australia reflected European conventions, while local rules and social settings changed across regions and communities.

Historic gaming objects arranged in a museum archive

Objects from different periods reveal the development of gaming technology and design.

More than a casino object

Cards belong to domestic and community history as much as gaming history. Their mass production made them one of the country's most ordinary forms of shared entertainment.