Tenterfield School of Arts, Heritage museum complex in Tenterfield, Australia.

Tenterfield School of Arts is a brick building with Victorian design features housing multiple functional spaces. The complex contains a main hall, exhibition areas, and a contemporary cinema facility.

The School of Arts opened on 7 September 1876, its foundation stone laid on 26 November 1875 by Mrs Lee, wife of mayor C. A. Lee. Sir Henry Parkes, elected unopposed as Member for Tenterfield in 1882, was honoured with a banquet here in February 1883 and delivered the Tenterfield Oration in the hall, calling for the six British colonies to unite into one federation. A 1946 plaque by Governor-General Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, marks the speech.

A 1946 plaque unveiled by Governor-General Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, marks the hall where Parkes spoke. The building now holds a museum, theatre, cinema and library, and its name honours Parkes as the Sir Henry Parkes Memorial School of Arts.

The National Trust of Australia manages this building and offers guided tours, cinema screenings, and theater performances on a regular basis. Check ahead for current event schedules and access times before your visit.

The building was threatened with demolition in the 1950s, and a community campaign to save it led to the formation of the National Trust of Australia. In 1957 the Trust acquired the School of Arts as its first property, transferred by an Act of Parliament.