OTAGO MUSEUM

OUT COMES INDICATORS PERFORMANCE MEASURES
A WORLD-CLASS COLLECTION
ACHIEVED OR NOT ACHIEVED
PERFORMANCE STATUS
29
Demonstrate how numbers of researchers
accessing the collection has grown from
2013/2014 to 2014/2015
ACHIEVED:
2014/15 – 89 access requests
2013/14 – 84 access requests
In addition to handling access requests, more of the collection was made available to researchers
with the digitisation of 12,600 predatory spider-hunting wasps, to enable access for a visiting
Japanese entomologist.
The Humanities team used high-resolution photography to enable Assyriologists from Jerusalem
and Melbourne to view and translate inscriptions in the Museum’s cuneiform collection. These
images will be made available online via the DAMS, when this system is employed.
A review of the research rooms is underway to ensure access to the collection is made easier
through physical relation to the collection and to collection staff.
ACHIEVED:
Delivery of nine tours arranged for
researchers or special interest
groups with a research focus
A wide range of researchers accessed the collection. These included:
• Architecture Van Brandenburg, Dunedin: access request to view a list of species that
have influenced their work. Including but not limited to: bird wings – splayed, whichever
species are available; wood pigeon; kea; Guatemalan quetzal; shells: great green turban
snail, Calliostoma; top snail; circular saw shell; ostrich foot shell; Spengler’s triton; whelk
rock borer; frilled Venus shell; paper nautilus
• Lincoln University, Victoria Smith: Cantuaria sp. holotypes; University of Otago, Joshua
Corrie: fossil whale specimens
• Otago Polytechnic: botany collection. Viewed and discussed Museum storage
• Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust, Dunedin: items donated and associated with Peter Child
ACHIEVED:
2014/15 – 12 honorary curators
2013/14 – 10 honorary curators
Dr Catherine Smith and Dr Rosie Crane are new appointments. Honorary Curators have special
access privileges not available to other researchers, enabling them to spend more time on their
specific interest.
ACHIEVED:
2014/15 – loans to eight
institutions
2013/14 – loans to six institutions
Making our objects available to other organisations for exhibition or research is also a key strategic
objective. Organisations included:
Outward loans to:
Number of objects
University of Otago, Botany Department 4
University of Otago, Geology Department 1
Orokonui Ecosanctuary 1
University of Otago, Zoology Department 20
University of Otago Library, Special Collections 10
Donovan Scientific Insect Research 6