The Foundation for the WA Museum are pleased to showcase the three projects that will feature at the 2022 Impact Circle Voting event on Thursday 18 August 2022.
PROJECT 1 – MARITIME MUSEUM NYOONGAR WELCOME
The aim of this project is to enhance the visitor experience at the WA Maritime Museum by offering a culturally significant welcome experience to the entry zone of the Museum and its galleries.
Consultation with local Aboriginal Elders and stakeholders has identified a lack of connection of the Maritime Museum displays and visitor experience to the Whadjuk Nyoongar lands on which it is built.
A contemporary acknowledgement of Aboriginal heritage and a ‘welcome experience’ will enable the WA Museum to reflect its commitment to the centrality of Aboriginal culture to the interpretation of WA culture and heritage.
PROJECT 2 – WA DOWN UNDER AQUARIUM PROJECT
The aim of this project it to enhance the visitor experience in the WA Down Under Gallery at the WA Maritime Museum. The project seeks to enhance the visitor experience through the addition of new exhibits and interactive elements to engage and connect with visitors and add value to their museum experience.
The additions proposed for the WA Down Under Gallery include two free-standing aquariums, a workstation for hands-on activities, interpretative signage and soundscape highlighting whales and dolphins, the installation of faux barnacles on the red support structures of the mezzanine level; and the addition of a variety of marine specimens and objects from the WA Museum collection.
PROJECT 3 – XANTHO GALLERY REFURBISHMENT
The Xantho gallery was established to give the public the opportunity to observe the SS Xantho engine and machinery conservation and restoration works in real time. With restoration completed in 2006, it is now time to interpret the Xantho story not only as an example of technological advancement but also in terms of the development of the State, the challenges of sailing along the WA coast, and a contemporary understanding of the era.
Overall, the gallery requires an upgrade of signage and labelling; a new platform for the existing touch-model; a re-orientation of the existing content and the integration of additional material from within the Maritime Archaeology and Maritime History collections to transform the former working space into an engaging permanent gallery experience.
