10 NOVEMBER 2007
10 November 2007
The National Museum of Australia has been named winner of the Canberra and Capital Region's Tourism award for best Major Tourist Attraction for the fifth year running.
'The Museum's achievements reflect the continuing dedication of our people. I wish to thank every staff member for their commitment and contributions this year,' said Craddock Morton, Director of the National Museum of Australia.
The National Museum has established itself as a 'must-see' tourist destination and in its sixth year of operation national visitation has reached well over 900,000 visitors.
'A record number of people visited Museum exhibitions nationally this year, and our website also attracted record visitation.'
There was strong interest in the Museum's range of public programs including forums, tours, entertaining educational programs and community events. Exhibitions remained a big visitor drawcard, with a forward program including:
Papunya Painting: Out of the Desert, showcasing the work of Aboriginal artists and their supporters in the early days of the Papunya Tula art movement, between 1974 and 1981. Opens 28 November.
Behind the Lines: The Year's Best Cartoons, the twists and turns of the political year as seen by Australia's best cartoonists are documented in a national touring exhibition drawn from the National Museum of Australia's popular annual cartoon competition. Opens 14 December.
Following the award ceremony last night at the National Convention Centre, the National Museum of Australia is now entered into the 2008 Australian Tourism Awards to be announced next February.
For images, interviews or more information please contact Dennis Grant on
02 6208 5351, 0409 916 481 or Caroline Vero on 02 6208 5338, 0438 620 710 or email media@nma.gov.au