Annual Report 2001-2002 - Western Australian Museum - The ...

DR KEN MICHAEL AM CitWA
5
Letter to the Minister
The Hon Sheila McHale MLA
Minister responsible for the Museum Act 1969
Minister
In accordance with the provisions of section 66 of the Financial Administration and
Audit Act 1985, we have pleasure submitting for your information and presentation to
Parliament the Annual Report of the Western Australian Museum for the financial year
ending 30 June 2002.
The past year has been one of the busiest periods in the 111-year history of the Western
Australian Museum.
The new Maritime Museum rises as a striking icon on the foreshore of Fremantle. The
Museum took delivery of the building in May and now faces an extremely intense time in
fitting out the exhibitions. At the Western Australian Museum–Geraldton, the Shipwrecks
Gallery was completed in August and work on the large Mid West Gallery is ongoing.
We are committed to getting more and more of our products to regional Western Australia.
We now have a touring program for small topical exhibitions that is touring products all
around the state. We have also begun to revamp our web site, which will get exciting
virtual products from the Museum into homes all around the country and indeed the
world. As a taste of things to come, the Museum launched its FaunaBase web site this
year, which allows the user to explore the occurrence of Western Australia’s unique animals.
It is the belief of the Trustees that a good museum is an active museum, one that engages
with people in a variety of ways. In this vein, we committed the history-making yacht
Australia II to participate in the America’s Cup Jubilee Regatta in Cowes. It performed
with distinction, as we all expected it would. On a sad note, one of the great lights of
Western Australian sailing, Warren Jones, passed away this year. His contribution to the
Museum and its Foundation and to the community in general will long be remembered.
Fittingly, his funeral was held in the recently completed Maritime Museum building and
was a very moving event.
With an ongoing program of exhibitions and events at all the Museum sites, and the
continued output of scientific and historical knowledge from our researchers, it has been
a very busy year and one with which the Trustees have had a proud association.
Planning, with all its challenges, continues in respect of future developments of the Western
Australian Museum, and the Trustees, in association with others, are exploring
opportunities that will build on an exciting and diverse vision to be enjoyed by all.
Minister, thank you for the support that you have shown the Museum, and the strong
advocacy you have made on the Museum’s behalf. The continued support of your
Government to major projects such as the Maritime and Geraldton museums will see
them reach fruition and serve the people of Western Australia for many years to come.
The Trustees thank the Museum’s Foundation for its invaluable assistance
in generating much-needed financial support in the community. In particular,
we thank Simon Lee, who retired as Chair of the Foundation during the
year, for his valuable contribution and welcome John Poynton, who has
been elected as his replacement.
We appreciate the support of the Director General, Alastair Bryant, and the
Department of Culture and the Arts, for their assistance in a variety of ways.
The Chairs and members of the Museum’s site and advisory boards and
committees, operating throughout Western Australia, continue to provide
advice on a wide range of our activities, which we greatly appreciate and
without which we would be much the poorer.
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM ANNUAL REPORT 2001–2002