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

53
Western Australian Museum–
Kalgoorlie-Boulder
KNOWLEDGE COMMUNICATION
Exhibitions and Events
The MuseumLink program has resulted in an interesting range of exhibitions and activities visiting
the Museum. A public discussion about the long-term vision for Western Australia was hosted
in December, and the travelling exhibitions Sustainability WA, Raja Ampat Islands: Diversity
Hotspot and Behind the Mask followed.
In early July, the Australian War Memorial travelling exhibition Forging the Nation gave local
students the opportunity to dress up in World War I army uniform, observe bullet-damaged
bibles and souvenirs from the front line, and view relevant slides including those of a local
goldfields soldier who lost his life in World War I.
Between 15 and 27 October the front bar of the Museum’s British Arms Hotel was used to
house the participants and artwork of the Awesome Children’s Festival community art project.
This project, sponsored by ‘Smarter than Smoking’, involved a series of workshops in goldfields
schools and community groups, culminating in the construction of a tableaux—a multimedia
emersion artwork. Neil Darby, Director, Goldfields Education District, officially opened the
Awesome Tableaux exhibition on 24 October.
Education
The year has been a busy one for the Education Officer, with educational visits rising 31 per
cent on last year’s figures. School holidays have been particularly successful, with participant
numbers increasing 300 per cent on last year’s figures. The success of the holiday programs
has been the result of the dedication and commitment of the entire Museum staff. All staff
members have been integral in preparing programs, encouraging participation, patiently
explaining program objectives, and inspiring imaginations to make the activities enjoyable for
everyone involved.
The theme of the July school holiday program, ‘Australiana’, was inspired by the exhibition
Forging the Nation. This exhibition incorporated a collection of artefacts and displays on events
and personalities from the first twenty years of federation in Australia. The ‘Australiana’ workshops
were based on Coo-ee Jewellery—a range that incorporated many Australian motifs such as
Australian maps, flags, kookaburras, kangaroos and boomerangs.
The October program, ‘ROAR!’, was chosen in an attempt to increase awareness and boost
membership of the Dinosaur Club. The most popular activity was the excavation of ‘dinodigs’.
Geoff Deacon, manager of the Dinosaur Club, visited and gave a fun and interesting presentation
during the day and in the evening.
In January, ‘The Great Rettop Yrrah Puzzle’ immersed families in the Wamkapowie School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. The theme of this holiday program was chosen to catch the attention
of the large portion of the community that has been swept up by the ‘wizardry phenomenon’.
‘Outback Wild’ was presented in April as a way to inspire children about native fauna, as well as
to educate families about the different factors that contribute to a particular animal’s survival.
To keep the topic relevant to goldfields families, and in keeping with the current celebration of
the Year of the Outback, the program focused on outback animals.
In March a function was held to welcome local teachers to the Museum and inform them of the
educational resources available. Approximately 55 local teachers attended the Sundowner and
left the function with an information package.
In May and June, the MuseumLink Behind the Mask exhibition inspired a mask-making workshop
held jointly by the Goldfields Family Network, a community organisation, and the Museum.
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM ANNUAL REPORT 2001–2002