originally two separate properties, the first of the buildings that makes up the museum was constructed in 1891 by burns philip & co. the second was constructed by wright heaton & co. in 1901. merged into and operated as one property by bartlams in 1944, the declining charters towers population saw the business fall into liquidation in 1976. zara clark, daughter of the former miner and grazing pioneer of mirtna station, william clark, left over $245,000 to fifteen charitable organisations upon her death in 1975. one of the beneficiaries was the charters towers and dalrymple historical society, from which the charters towers branch of the national trust had been formed in 1973. through the generosity of zara clark, the trust was able to purchase the liquidated property from bartlams when it was put up for sale in 1978. converted to a museum for the district's impressive historical collection, the property was named the zara clark museum in her honour.
