HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

Exhibitions and events

  • The museum’s activity increased four-fold since last year, with 16 exhibitions of varying scale that combine the building, collection and partnerships to offer multiple points of connection.
  • Visits to the museum increased by 20 per cent compared with last year—the second highest since Old Parliament House reopened to the public in 1992.

Learning

  • Our school learning programs drew the highest number of visitors ever—81,604 students and teachers visited the museum.
  • We also had a wide reach—1,432 educational institutions participated in organised school learning programs.
  • Our learning programs continued to be highly regarded—100 per cent of teachers reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall experience of their visit and 100 per cent were satisfied with the relevance of our programs to classroom curriculum.

Heritage

  • We continued to expertly manage access needs and the heritage values of the place within budget constraints.
  • We delivered a new five-year Heritage Management Plan in line with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
  • We developed a new Collection Development Plan that will inform our future acquisitions.

Research

  • We released a new five-year strategy for the Australian Prime Ministers Centre, with a refined research focus.
  • The 2014 Australian Prime Ministers Centre seminar brought together more than 100 participants from research, arts, government and the community to engage with nine academics and writers on their work on prime ministers from Barton to Howard.
  • A selection of the museum’s oral history collection of over 400 personal recollections and insights into the building and its people was made available on the museum’s website.

Corporate and finance

  • Excellent financial management delivered internal efficiencies and savings, while still achieving an unmodified audit opinion.
  • The museum won the 2013 ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion in Government Award for our commitment to encouraging, welcoming and supporting people with disability.
1901 Unearthed: The Lost Election Papers
1901 Unearthed: The Lost Election Papers. Photo: Museum of Australian Democracy collection.
ACT Motorcycle Riders’ Association Toy Run, December 2013.
ACT Motorcycle Riders’ Association Toy Run, December 2013.
Photo: Museum of Australian Democracy collection.
‘Lost in the Museum’ October school holiday program
‘Lost in the Museum’ October school holiday program.
Photo: Museum of Australian Democracy collection.
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