Sponsorship and development
Donations
The Museum has run a number of successful fundraising campaigns during the 2014–15 reporting year. These include:
- the Royal Daimler project to support stage one of the conservation work on the 1948 Daimler landaulette
- the Horses in Australia campaign to help preserve key equine material for the Spirited: Australia’s Horse Story exhibition.
The Museum also received $39,881 in cash donations to the National Museum of Australia Fund to support the acquisition, conservation and exhibition of the Museum’s collection. The Museum acknowledges the invaluable support provided by its donors and supporters. The donor honour board was launched in 2013 to prominently display the names of object donors and patrons. Patrons are also acknowledged in Appendix 6: Supporters of the National Museum of Australia, and online at nma.gov.au/support_us.
In December 2014, the Museum held a special preview event for its patrons, donors and supporters at which the Director, Dr Mathew Trinca, outlined key activities to be undertaken by the Museum in the next financial year.
The Museum continues to engage with communities of interest, Museum Friends members and a strong supporter base, all of whom contribute to the increasing value of private donations to the Museum.
Grants
In 2014–15 the Museum received more than $300,000 in government grants and philanthropic support for a range of key projects. These included:
- $180,000 from the Australian Government’s National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program to support the Encounters project
- $50,000 from the Sidney Myer Fund and Myer Foundation for the Encounters project online education kit
- Support from the Gordon Darling Foundation for a national symposium titled, Aboriginal Artists of the Nineteenth Century: A Celebration.
Corporate support
The Museum received a range of services valued at more than $700,000 during the period. A full list of corporate supporters of the Museum during 2014–15 can be found in Appendix 6: Supporters of the National Museum of Australia.
Retail operations
Merchandising and retail operations raise revenue for the Museum and enhance visitor experiences by providing merchandise inspired by the Museum’s exhibitions, programs and its unique building. In 2014–15 retail sales were one per cent under budget, which was a sound performance given the tight consumer market. The average retail sale was 13 per cent above budget, and 4.4 per cent above the previous year’s average sale.
The Museum Shop successfully leveraged commercial opportunities from the 2014–15 exhibitions program, with temporary exhibition shops operating for Old Masters: Australia’s Great Bark Artists and Spirited: Australia’s Horse Story.
In July 2014, the Museum Shop underwent a partial refurbishment, which has increased merchandise displays, improved customer flow and enhanced Workplace Health and Safety for staff and visitors. The installation of a new point-of-sales system has improved inventory management processes and will assist in growing the business into the future. The Museum Shop achieved its highest ever sales for one month in December 2014, which was an increase of 24 per cent on the budget target and a five per cent increase on the previous best month. This increase was due to a strong events program and varied marketing activities that increased the exposure of Canberra residents to the Museum Shop.
In the latter half of the financial year, a new online shop was sourced, with a launch scheduled for the first quarter of 2015–16. This online shop will increase the product range on offer, improve internal processes and efficiencies, increase opportunities for promotional activities and offer the customer a convenient and simple online shopping experience.