Media Release: Museum sites to reopen on Wednesdays

Museums Australia welcomes the announcement today that all the WA Museum sites in the State will reopen on Wednesdays.

This comes after a year of continued lobbying from many sources, including the community, schools, the cultural sector, and the hospitality and tourism industry. This decision had wide reaching impacts across the economy and the community.

“We congratulate the new Director Alec Coles on this decision, and acknowledge the input of the staff across all sites who have found a workable solution within a limited budget” said Executive Officer, Museums Australia WA, Jane King.

It should be noted that no extra funding has flowed to the Museum despite the State Government posting a $831M surplus.

The recent highly successful Pompeii Exhibition demonstrates that the WA public is ready for, and deserves, world class exhibits and a suitable venue in which to display them. We look forward to hearing more about the new State Museum Project in due course.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Griffiths on October 19, 2010 at 4:55pm

Yay, great media release, Jane and crew. Great news.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Chapple on October 19, 2010 at 6:23pm

Hi Jane

Yes, I agree- having just been in Melbourne for the National Museum conference and seeing all of their fantastic museums and galleries, obviously enjoying a far greater funding level than our state institutions, I find that the efforts of the staff of our museums and galleries to bring valuable exhibitions such as Pompeii and Guggenheim to the West is just remarkable, given their lack of resources.

It is sad that the government fails to see the great benefits that these places bring to the community.

Anne

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Permalink Reply by Annie Q. Medley on October 20, 2010 at 7:56am

Fantastic News Jane ! YES ...the long line of people at the Pompeii exhibition in the city helped ...I was there the last day and the line went all the way to the State Library! We love our Museums!

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Thompson on October 25, 2010 at 8:13am

Yes good news! It's always curious that the Treasury bean counters fail to see the value of museums and collections as a 'hands on' resource for our core audience of schools and education groups in fulfilling the State's responsibility of teaching history, art and culture in the school curriculum.

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Permalink Reply by Jane King on October 26, 2010 at 12:21pm

Thanks Steve, very well put.
PS enjoyed your presentation at the Melbourne MA 2010 Conf.

Jane

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Thompson on October 28, 2010 at 8:51am

Thanks Jane- I enjoyed presenting the paper at the Conference- The Conference was great. Prob one of the best so far!