Annual Report-2000-2001 - Western Australian Museum - The ...

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COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT
The Western Australian Museum–Albany’s collections
were successfully cared for throughout the year.
Six hundred new items were acquired. Of special
importance were the Albany Port Authority’s donation
of items dredged from the bottom of the harbour, a
span of the Deep Water Jetty, and the acquisition of
the contents of Mouchemore’s Cottage.
KNOWLEDGE GENERATION
My Albany—Memories and Stories, a collection by
John Genoni, was completed during the year, while
An Albany Walk Downhill by Keith Murray and an
origin placename book, Albany Who and What by
Les Johnson, are in preparation. Research was
undertaken for an Albany and Federation exhibition
and booklet, and also on the history of the
Mouchemore family for a conservation plan.
Material for a Millennium Time Capsule was actively
collected from community groups and schools
throughout the region. More than 300 items were
donated, which will be an invaluable resource for
researchers in the future. Contributors were asked
why they belonged to their group and how they
envisaged the group functioning in 50 to 100 years’
time.
The first of three heritage walk trails was completed
in partnership with the Albany City Council. The route
of the ‘Amity Trail’ is marked with plaques on the
buildings and pictures made in mosaic tiles on the
ground, produced as a community arts project. The
trail is proving very popular and is increasing visitors’
knowledge of the city.
KNOWLEDGE
COMMUNICATION
Special exhibitions kept the number of visitors to the
Museum much the same as in previous years, in spite
Western Australian Museum Annual Report 2000–2001
Western Australian Museum–
Albany
of a reduction in tourists visiting the region. The
population base of about 28,000 represents only a
third of the number of visitors to the Museum. Thus
the Museum plays an important role in informing
tourists about the area they are exploring.
The Museum organised a week-long visit from the Light
Horse Memorial Troop as part of the Anzac 2001
Federation Festival. The troop performed at the
Museum in the mornings, with the horses pulling a
guncarriage, the gun being fired and opportunities
being made available for the public to talk to the riders.
The troop then delivered coffee in sacks to Dylan’s in
Stirling Terrace, providing a historic photo opportunity.
In the afternoon, an exhibition of horsemanship, with
historical commentary, was presented on an oval. A
video has been made of the performance. The events
proved very popular, with 1,500 people attending the
last performance. The Museum obtained sponsorship
from the City Council, Mt Romance and Dylan’s on
the Terrace to assist with costs.
Other exhibitions and events that were much enjoyed
by visitors were:
• Feral Peril from Fisheries WA: shows fish and other
water animals that can cause problems if
imported accidentally into Western Australia.
• Silent Invaders, prepared and installed by Customs
and Agriculture West: demonstrates the items that
have come into Western Australia via visitors and
the harm these items can do.
• Albany and Federation prepared by the Western
Australian Museum’s Exhibition and Design
Section: uses artefacts from the Albany Historical
Society and the Museum history collection.
• Too Dark for the Light Horse from the Australian
War Memorial: a travelling exhibition of great
interest especially to Noongar people, who
supplemented the exhibition with objects, turned
out in large numbers for the opening, and
travelled long distances to see it.