Strategic priorities
The National Museum of Australia’s strategic priorities demonstrate our ambition to bring to life the rich and diverse stories of Australia. They ensure the Museum is focused on achieving strong engagement with the nation’s diverse communities and traditions. The strategic priorities seek to bring the Museum to the forefront of cultural life in the country, where contemporary Australia is understood in relation to its past and its future promise. The Museum’s work is underpinned by the pursuit of excellence in every area of its activity and deploys all the internal resources available to maximum effect. We also seek to establish fruitful partnerships to help the Museum grow its resources and reach wider audiences in Australia and globally.
The strategic priorities for 2017–18 are:
Take the lead: The Museum 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.
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.
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.
See us first: The Museum’s creative form and stunning lakeside site make it a ‘must see’ Canberra destination. We invest in our contemporary architecture and creative exhibitions and programs to deliver unique, distinctive experiences for our visitors.
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.
History
Although it is one of Australia’s newest cultural institutions, the National Museum of Australia was almost 100 years in the making. Over the course of the 20th century, proposals for a national museum were intermittent and interrupted by wars, financial crises and changing government priorities.
A national inquiry in 1975 (the ‘Pigott Report’) resulted in the creation of the Museum with the passing of the National Museum of Australia Act 1980 (the Museum Act). Collecting officially began with the inheritance of significant collections from Australian Government agencies, including the Australian Institute of Anatomy. A location for the Museum was identified at Yarramundi Reach, Canberra.
In December 1996, the building of the Museum was announced as the key Centenary of Federation project, and Acton Peninsula was chosen as the site, with funding confirmed in 1997. The Museum opened on 11 March 2001. It is home to the National Historical Collection and is one of the nation’s major cultural institutions.
The Museum’s exhibitions, collections, programs and research focus on three interrelated subject areas, which are specified in the Museum Act:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture
- Australian history and society since 1788
- the interaction of people with the environment.
These define the Museum’s intellectual and conceptual framework, which is articulated to the public through the themes of land, nation and people.