Achievement of strategic and business priorities

Strategic priority 1: Take the lead

The National Museum of Australia takes the lead role in researching, documenting and expressing the nation’s history.

We are committed to organisational excellence, and innovative and contemporary approaches that draw public attention to our work. Business priorities for 2014–15 were:

Business priorities	Report
1.1 Lead public discussion about the ideas that matter in Australian life	ACHIEVED: The Museum launched the Defining Moments in Australian History project on 29 August 2014. Strong public engagement with the project resulted in a record number of Facebook ‘hits’. See Communicating with the community, The Museum and the media See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media Museum staff participated in a range of Australian Research Council (ARC) projects that involved working in partnership with educational institutions and community-based organisations in Australia and overseas. See Research and scholarship The Museum ran seminar programs delivered by staff and local and international speakers. See Programs and events, Adult learners See Research and scholarship
1.2 Prepare the Museum for a world that is ‘living digitally’	ACHIEVED: Kspace entered the final stages of its development into a new immersive interactive experience. See Museum development, Kspace A mobile device application, ‘The Loop’, that takes visitors on a guided tour to object highlights in the permanent galleries was developed. See Museum development, Technology in the Museum A 2014–17 forward plan for the popular iPad ‘Museum Game’ was developed and the game was integrated into schools, events and venue hire. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience The Museum Robot project was integrated into Museum programming. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience
1.3 Connect with academic, social, commercial, physical and online communities	ACHIEVED: Visits to the Museum’s website increased to 1,694,318. See Program 1.1, Performance summary See Our visitors and audiences The Museum Robot project delivered live online tours to more than 1900 national and international participants. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience Museum staff consulted with 27 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across all states and territories as part of the Encounters project. See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach Two significant education resources were developed and distributed through national online education sites. See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience More than 27,000 students participated in Museum education programs. See Programs and events, School students The Museum’s digital learning programs were enhanced by the ‘Engage and learn’ blog, which has 783 subscribers. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience The Museum delivered seven temporary exhibitions and toured three travelling exhibitions. See Exhibition program New online publications included two editions of reCollections: A Journal of Museums and Collections and the Goree newsletter, 13 audio programs with transcripts and 20 collection highlights. See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media See Research and scholarship, reCollections: A Journal of Museums and Collections
1.4 Establish meaningful and long-lived local, national and international partnerships	ACHIEVED: The Museum participated in national and international tourism initiatives that promoted the Museum as a destination by collaborating with local and national tourism agencies and businesses. See Communicating with the community, Promoting and marketing the Museum See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach The Museum entered into an agreement with the British Museum for linked exhibitions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artefacts in 2015, the exhibition A History of the World in 100 Objects in 2016 and a proposed exhibition on Ancient Rome in 2018. See Communicating with the community, The Museum and the media See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media The Museum developed key partnerships with organisations including AccorHotel, QT Canberra, Qantas and Virgin members lounges, Twitter, Google Australia, Prime7, the Canberra Times, 666 ABC Canberra and Foxtel. See Executive summary, The Year at a glance See Our visitors and audiences, Audience and visitor research See Communicating with the community, Promoting and marketing the Museum See Research and scholarship See Appendix 6: Supporters of the National Museum of Australia The Museum established a partnership with the Commonwealth-funded Asia Education Foundation (AEF) to facilitate greater understanding of Australian culture and history in several Asian countries. See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach See Appendix 6: Supporters of the National Museum of Australia The Museum established a partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to tour digital exhibitions related to key Museum exhibitions. See Executive summary, Performance summary See Exhibition program, Travelling exhibitions See Our visitors and audiences See Communicating with the community, Promoting and marketing the Museum See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach The Museum partnered with AARNet Pty Ltd to promote the Mobile Robot project to teachers and students in AARNet’s broadband-enabled school network. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience Partnerships with the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation created opportunities to enhance on-site tour experiences and digital relationships with the national community. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience The Museum entered into memorandums of understanding in support of future exhibitions and professional exchanges with the Museum Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle du Havre, France; the National Museum of Singapore; the National Museum of China; and the National Museum and Art Gallery of Papua New Guinea. See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach

Strategic priority 2: Cherish our stories

The Museum’s collection is a rich resource for explaining the forces that have formed modern Australia.

We affirm the value and diversity of the nation’s history and experience through our work as storytellers and custodians.

Business priorities	Report
2.1 Bring the stories of Australia to life through innovative exhibitions and program	ACHIEVED: The Museum delivered a temporary and travelling exhibition program that included seven exhibitions on display at the Museum, and three national and international travelling exhibitions. See Permanent galleries See Exhibition program Visitation to temporary and travelling exhibitions, at Acton and nationally, reached 980,340. See Our visitors and audiences The exhibition lecture series gave audiences ‘behind the scenes’ insights into major temporary exhibitions through knowledgeable and engaging speakers. See Programs and events: Adult learners The Museum’s international touring program partnered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in touring an exhibition to China, Turkey, Chile, India, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Russia, Tonga and Indonesia. Over 347,238 visitors viewed the exhibition. See Exhibition program: Travelling exhibitions See Our visitors and audiences See Connecting with the community: Museum outreach
2.2 Ensure our collections are safe and accessible, physically and digitally, for all time	ACHIEVED: More than 67,000 objects were available for the public to access online. See The collection: Making the collection accessible The Museum delivered a documented Strategic Property Plan. Enhancements were completed on object storage processing areas. See The collection: Caring for the collection A prioritised conservation program was implemented to identify areas of the collection requiring treatment. See The collection: Caring for the collection The Museum provided special access to its collection repositories to researchers, community, filmmakers, donors, university students and curators from other institutions. See The collection: Making the collection accessible The Museum loaned objects from the National Historical Collection to other cultural institutions. See The collection: Making the collection accessible
2.3 Develop the best ideas, research and scholarship to underpin our programs	ACHIEVED: Museum staff gave 14 research presentations at national and international academic and industry conferences and seminars on issues as diverse as climate change and environmental history. See Research and scholarship Museum staff participated in five Australian Research Council (ARC) projects. See Research and scholarship: Strategic research partnerships The Museum maintained partnerships with key kindred bodies, including Indigenous communities and organisations, major collectors, corporations and the university sector. See Research and scholarship: Strategic research partnerships
2.4 Create online collections, information and access to enhance public engagement	ACHIEVED: The Museum launched an improved external collection search tool, Collection Explorer. The public can now access 67,198 images of objects from the Museum’s collection. See The collection: Making the collection accessible Websites with interactive functionality were developed for the Museum’s temporary and travelling exhibitions. See Connecting with the community: Online outreach and social media

Strategic priority 3: Listen and act

The Museum puts audiences and visitors at the centre of all its work.

We commit to ongoing ‘two-way’ engagement with communities of interest outside our walls, and value their role, expertise and interest in our success.

Business priorities	Report
3.1 Create participatory programs to engage people in meaningful dialogue	ACHIEVED: The Defining Moments in Australian History project was launched in August 2014 with a continuous release of online content and public engagement strategies. See Executive summary, The Year at a glance See Communicating with the community, The Museum and the media See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media Successful one-off programs and series relating to particular demographics were held as part of a strategy to increase audience numbers and diversity. See Programs and events An extensive social media strategy was developed and implemented. See Communicating with the community, Promoting and marketing the Museum See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media A new Museum brand campaign ‘Where our stories come alive’, was launched across traditional and digital media. See Communicating with the community, Promoting and marketing the Museum
3.2 Build relationships and engage with communities of interest related to our programs	ACHIEVED: The First World War interactive website, Remembering Objects, Stories and Emotions was launched in March 2015. See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media The Museum developed and implemented the Indigenous Cultural Rights and Engagement Policy and Principles. See Executive summary, The Year at a glance See Connecting with the community, Sharing our resources and expertise Repatriation staff travelled nationally to consult with communities regarding ancestral remains held by the Museum. See Connecting with the community, Repatriation of remains and secret/sacred material The Museum reached a combined broadcast, print and online media audience of 175,357,487. See Communicating with the community, The Museum and the media A seminar and screenings related to the Home Front exhibition were held in association with the National Film and Sound Archives. See Director's review of operations Representatives from a number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, grant recipients, students of cultural heritage management, researchers and diverse special-interest groups participated in collection tours and viewed relevant collection objects. See The collection, Making the collection accessible A special preview event was held for Museum patrons, donors and supporters at which the Director, Dr Mathew Trinca, outlined key activities and future development. See Research and scholarship See Generating external revenue and development, Sponsorship and development
3.3 Empower staff to promote our professional expertise to external interests	ACHIEVED: 40 features in the Defining Moments series were made accessible online. See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media The Encounters exhibition website was launched in February 2015. See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media Education programs were delivered to 27,000 students. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience Museum staff presented at national teacher and educator conferences in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. See Connecting with the community, Reaching a national schools audience Museum conservators participated in a wide range of public and Museum engagements and contributed to social media content. See Programs and events, School students See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media The Museum collaborated with Macquarie Group on developing and installing the Governor Lachlan Macquarie exhibition in the Macquarie Bank building in Martin Place, Sydney. See Director's review of operations See Executive summary, The Year at a glance See Exhibition program See Connecting with the community, Museum outreach
3.4 Act as a cultural hub to connect relevant community groups and interests	ACHIEVED: A new Friends membership strategy was implemented with the aim of increasing membership by 10 per cent. See Connecting with the community, Museum Friends The Museum’s social media strategy was implemented in September 2014, leading to a 259 per cent increase in Facebook followers and a 326 per cent increase in Twitter followers. See Communicating with the community, Promoting and marketing the Museum See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media The national Twitter project, Australia Day Your Way, captured 140,000 tweets on 26 and 27 January 2015. See Director's review of operations See Executive summary, The Year at a glance See Communicating with the community, Promoting and marketing the Museum See Communicating with the community, The Museum and the media See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media Museum exhibitions, including Freewheeling: Cycling in Australia and Spirited: Australia’s Horse Story engaged communities of interest with online opportunities to connect and share stories, images and experiences. See Connecting with the community, Online outreach and social media

Strategic priority 4: See us first

The Museum’s collection is a rich resource for explaining the forces that have formed modern Australia.

We affirm the value and diversity of the nation’s history and experience through our work as storytellers and custodians.

Business priorities	Report
4.1 Create internal and external experiences at Acton that attract and involve audiences	ACHIEVED: Visitation to the Museum’s temporary and permanent exhibitions, and public programs, including remote digital programs, at Acton was 663,614. See Our visitors and audiences Redevelopment of the Museum’s venue facilities resulted in more events and increased function-hire numbers. See Our visitors and audiences The Disability Action Plan was reviewed and the Reconciliation Action Plan was written, developed and approved. See Executive summary, The Year at a glance See Programs and events, Access programs Specialised programming linked to the Museum’s major temporary exhibitions broadened the audience base by appealing to special-interest groups and diverse age demographics. See Programs and events
4.2 Strengthen relationships with The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the Australian National University (ANU), the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), the National Capital Authority (NCA) and the NewActon precinct	ACHIEVED: The Museum worked with AIATSIS, ANU and NCA to develop a framework for the master site plan for the Acton Peninsula. Events and screenings associated with Museum exhibitions and activities were enhanced by cooperative engagement with staff and resources from Acton Peninsula partner NFSA. See Director’s review of operations See Programs and events: Adult learners Programs and events associated with NAIDOC Week strengthened the Museum’s connection with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. See Programs and events: Families and children See Connecting with the community: Sharing our resources and expertise See Sustainability: Taking care of people
4.3 Develop community and recreational places inside and outside the Museum building	ACHIEVED: A 10-year Strategic Property Plan was developed and approved. Scoping of design options to improve the Museum forecourt began. External display of collection objects was included in site planning and forecourt work. The revised spatial design for Kspace offered a bright and welcoming space for visitors. See Museum development: Kspace There were 436,496 visitors to the Museum’s galleries. See Our visitors and audiences Remediation work was undertaken on lakeside grounds. Three new audio systems were installed in the Museum Cafe and the Main Hall. See Museum development: Technology in the Museum The Museum Shop was refurbished. See Generating external revenue and development: Retail operations
4.4 Establish programs that connect the Museum and its site to Canberra city	ACHIEVED: The Museum actively participated in the City to the Lake project – one of Australia’s largest urban renewal projects. A concert associated with Canberra’s Enlighten Festival was held in in the Museum’s lakeside amphitheatre in late February 2015. See Programs and events: Adult learners

Strategic priority 5: Work smarter

A creative culture that seeks to exploit future opportunities requires efficient organisations and processes.

We are focused on maximising the potential of our people, assets and financial resources to deliver the best possible outcomes.

Business priorities	Report
5.1 Streamline business processes and systems in a drive for organisational efficiency	ACHIEVED: Cleaning and electricity savings resulted from infrastructure changes including the introduction of new humidifiers. See Sustainability: Taking care of our environment Business practices were streamlined with the introduction of RM8 and SharePoint. See Management performance: Enhancing key-services: Information and communication technology (ICT) Relevant government procedures and policies were complied with following the implementation of the Protective Security Policy and the 2015–16 Security Business Plan. See Governance: Internal and external scrutiny The Museum entered into a cross-cultural organisation gas contract. See Sustainability: Taking care of our environment
5.2 Establish evaluation, benchmarking and evidence-based decision-making to plan and manage performance	ACHIEVED: The Workplace Conversations Framework ensured staff recognise the importance of aligning outputs to strategic and business priorities. See Sustainability: Taking care of people Coaching programs were developed to enhance management capabilities to have challenging conversations about performance. See Sustainability: Taking care of people The Director’s Award for Excellence and Australia Day Achievement medallions were awarded. See Sustainability: Taking care of people
5.3 Develop staff flexibility, agility and resilience to deal with future challenges	ACHIEVED: Workforce planning commenced in preparation for transition to shared services. See Director’s review of operations See Sustainability: Taking care of people The Museum identified capability development needs, including the capacity to manage and deal with change effectively. See Sustainability: Taking care of people
5.4 Increase own source income and manage our financial resources sustainably	ACHIEVED: The Museum increased its own source revenue by 20 per cent as a result of improved venue hire and catering operations. See Our visitors and audiences Donor events were held in Canberra, including an end of financial year event. These events raised more than $80,000. See Generating external revenue and development: Sponsorship and development The National Museum of Australia Fund received more than $40,000 in cash donations. See Generating external revenue and development: Sponsorship and development Grants in support of Museum programs were received from the ACT Government’s Special Event Fund, the Australian Government’s National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, the Sidney Myer Fund and the Myer Foundation. See Generating external revenue and development: Sponsorship and development The Museum received corporate support valued at more than $700,000. See Generating external revenue and development: Sponsorship and development IN PROGRESS: A new online shop was developed, with a launch scheduled for the first quarter of 2015–16. See Generating external revenue and development: Retail operations
5.5 Create a safe, open and collaborative environment that is a pleasure to work in	ACHIEVED: An online workplace inspection report was developed to assist in streamlining work health and safety (WHS) audits and inspections, resulting in a significant decline in WHS incidents over the last year. See Sustainability, Taking care of people The Museum’s Reconciliation Action Plan was established. See Executive summary: The Year at a glance The Enterprise Risk Management Framework was established. See Governance: Internal and external scrutiny The Diversity Action Plan was developed and the Diversity Working Group was established to oversee implementation of diversity initiatives across the Museum. See Sustainability: Taking care of people See Appendix 5: Disability strategies The Museum Consultative Forum and Workplace Consultative Committee met regularly. See Sustainability: Taking care of people IN PROGRESS: 26 WHS safe-work procedures were drafted and are under review; two were made ready for broader workplace consultation. See Sustainability: Taking care of people

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