Stuffed Sam 'like Phar Lap'

Museum Victoria's newest exhibit Sam the koala will capture the hearts of thousands of Australian and international visitors in a similar way to Phar Lap, the museum's boss says.

The much-loved koala, who died last August, has been stuffed and put on display in the museum's foyer as a reminder of the deadly 2009 Victorian bushfires.

Sam earned international fame after images of her being fed water from a bottle held by Country Fire Authority firefighter David Tree were beamed around the world.

Museum Victoria chief executive Dr Patrick Greene said Sam's popularity could match that of iconic racehorse Phar Lap, also in the museum's collection.

"Like Phar Lap, after 70 years still one of the most loved items in the museum's collection, I believe Sam will be seen and shared by generations who have been touched by her story," he said at the launch of the koala's exhibit.

"No doubt, Sam is going to be very, very popular.

"We already know how popular Phar Lap is, people come from all over the world to see Phar Lap.

"Sam is known internationally as a result of those amazing photographs that went ... throughout the world and we know that people are going to come in their thousands to see Sam."

After three months on display in the foyer, Sam, who has been preserved perched in a gum tree with a bandage around one of her limbs, will move to the museum's latest environmental exhibition.

Sam was filmed the week before Black Saturday drinking water from Mr Tree's bottle after being injured during a controlled backburn in Gippsland.

Colleen Wood from the Southern Ash Wildlife Centre in Rawson said it had been an honour to care for Sam.

"She allowed the world an insight into the impact fire has on animals, especially our native wildlife," she said on Thursday.

Ms Wood is still caring for 10 koalas injured in the February 2009 fires.

CFA volunteer Mr Tree said he hoped Sam would represent the huge loss of human life and wildlife as a result of the 2009 bushfires.