Donald Bradman’s Ashes cap secured for the nation
Donald Bradman’s 1946–47 Ashes cap has been acquired by the National Museum of Australia.
What’s happening?
The National Museum of Australia in Canberra has secured a historic cricket cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during the 1946–47 Ashes series.
The cap, a rare baggy green, was purchased for $438,550. Half of this amount was provided through the National Cultural Heritage Account, a government grant program supporting the preservation of nationally significant objects.
This particular cap holds great significance as it was worn during the first Ashes series played between Australia and England after the Second World War.
Why it matters
Cricket had been pushed aside during the long war years, but when Bradman led the team in the 1946–47 series, it represented far more than a game. It was a chance for Australians to embrace normality again. It also marked the beginning of a period of cricketing dominance that Australians would long remember.
Bradman’s record speaks volumes. With an unbeaten batting average of 99.94 in Test cricket, he remains widely regarded as the greatest batsman of all time. The cap connects directly to that legacy, and its acquisition ensures that Australians can continue to engage with a defining piece of sporting and cultural history.
Local impact
The cap will go on display in the Museum’s Landmarks gallery. This permanent exhibition explores moments and objects that define the nation’s history from 1770 to the present day. The cap will join other significant treasures already in the Museum’s collection.
By the numbers
$438,550 was the total purchase price.
Half the cost was funded by the National Cultural Heritage Account.
Only 11 Bradman baggy greens are known to exist.
Bradman’s famous batting average remains at 99.94.
Zoom in
Minister for the Arts, the Hon Tony Burke MP, highlighted the importance of the purchase: “You’d be hard-pressed to meet an Australian that hasn’t heard of the great Donald Bradman, arguably the greatest cricketer of all time. Now to have one of his iconic baggy greens in the National Museum of Australia means visitors will have the opportunity to get up close and connect with our sporting and cultural history.”
Museum director Katherine McMahon added: “Sir Donald’s baggy green marks the life of Australia’s most celebrated batsman and reflects a time when sporting heroes gave Australians hope, following the heartbreak and hardship of the Second World War. We are delighted this national treasure has found a home here at the National Museum of Australia for all Australians to enjoy.”
Zoom out
The National Cultural Heritage Account has supported the acquisition of other rare and important artefacts, including:
An Australian Colonial Billiard Table, a 19th-century design masterpiece.
A 1912 McDonald ‘Imperial’ oil-powered tractor, one of the earliest manufactured in Australia.
A rare 1923 thylacine skin, one of the best-preserved pelts of the extinct species.
What to look for next?
The cap will be displayed alongside other Bradman memorabilia in the Museum’s collection. These include:
An autographed bat from the first Test at Trent Bridge during the 1934 Ashes, won by Australia.
The ball bowled by Eddie Gilbert (Kanju), a First Nations cricketer, when he dismissed Bradman for a duck in a 1931 Sheffield Shield match.