The Archives and Records unit is thrilled to be a part of the apps4nsw initiative which is bringing data and creativity together by awarding $15,000 to developers who can produce market-ready apps for the Australian Museum and the Office for Ageing.

About the competition
The competition was launched on November 11 by the NSW Department of Finance & Services and is open to members of the public.

Developers are asked to complete an Expression Of Interest (EOI) form by December 02, 2013. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to pitch their ideas to the panel and the winner will be chosen to develop the specification and deliver the app in early 2014.

The Scott Sisters collection
Our challenge focuses on bringing fresh appeal to the Scott Sisters collection of illustrations, diaries, manuscripts, published books, social histories and botanical and insect specimens from the 1840s to 1890s. The specimen information can be linked to current data on Australian moths, butterflies and plants.

The collection was originally curated for an exhibition at the Australian Museum in 2011 as an opportunity for visitors to step back in time and admire the simple beauty of 19th-century nature through the eyes of two young women whose pioneering work as scientific illustrators was praised for both scientific accuracy and artistic merit. The exhibition has been on tour in regional NSW and will soon be on show at Maitland Regional Art Gallery.

By participating in the competition we want to see how developers can remix and reinterpret our collections for the public. So get creative and show us what you can do.