2016–17 Museums Board of Victoria Declaration of the Responsible Body
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Annual Report 2016–17 Museums Board of Victoria Declaration of the Responsible Body In accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994, I am pleased to present the Report of Operations for the Museums Board of Victoria for the year ending 30 June 2017. Dr Rufus Black President, Museums Board of Victoria 15 September 2017 This annual report has been produced in accordance with FRD 30C Standard Requirements for the Design and Production of Annual Reports, in order to minimise our impact on the environment. Further information about Museums Victoria is available at museumsvictoria.com.au. ISSN 1835 369X FRONT COVER Children in the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery; Photography by John Gollings THIS PAGE (left to right, top to bottom) Nocturnal; Photography by Daniel Mahon Ganbu Yalingbu Ngulu-Bulok, One Day, Many Voices Launch, 2017; Source/Photography by Stewart Donn Asia Pop Courtyard, Asia TOPA 2017 festival; Photography by Taryn Ellis Secondary STEM Catalysts program; Photography by Rodney Start Ganbu Yalingbu Ngulu-Bulok, One Day, Many Voices Launch, 2017; Source/Photography by Stewart Donn Astro Light Festival 2016; Source/Photography by Stewart Donn Aotearoa Festival 2016; Photography by Taryn Ellis Asia Pop Courtyard, Asia TOPA 2017 Festival; Photography by Taryn Ellis Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery; Photography by Joel Checkley, Tiny Empire Collective Asia TOPA; Photography by Rich MacDonald Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery; Photography by John Gollings Asia Pop Courtyard, Asia TOPA 2017 festival; Photography by Taryn Ellis Astro Light Festival 2016; Source/Photography by Stewart Donn Secondary STEM Catalysts program; Photography by Rodney Start Contents Declaration of the Responsible Body ii President’s Message 2 Chief Executive Officer’s Message 3 Profile of Museums Victoria 4 The Year in Brief 5 Purpose and Vision 7 Strategic Direction 1: Deepening Connections 8 Strategic Direction 2: Investing in Knowledge, Expertise and Collections 11 Strategic Direction 3: Digital Transformation 13 Strategic Direction 4: Organisational Resilience 14 Strategic Direction 5: Building Victoria’s Cultural Capital 15 Future Priorities 16 Corporate Governance 17 Our Workplace 19 Financial Overview of Operations 23 Financial Statements 24 Auditor-General’s Report 56 Statutory Reports 58 Disclosure Index 63 Museums Victoria Annual Report 2016–17 1 President’s Message It was my privilege to take on the role of Museums Board We also farewelled Trevor Tappenden, who for three years of Victoria President in July 2016, at the commencement took carriage of the two key roles of Board Treasurer and of a year of significant development for the organisation. Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. During his The Museums Board of Victoria is pleased to present tenure, Trevor shared his broad Director acumen to steer the report of our operations, financial results and key our financial and governance position with clarity and achievements for 2016–17. consistency. Our deep thanks and acknowledgment of the contribution of these dedicated departing Board members. This year we celebrated the extraordinary contribution of outgoing Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr J Patrick As one chapter in the history concluded another began Greene OBE who departed in February 2017. Over the last with the commencement of our new CEO Lynley Marshall 15 years, Patrick was responsible for writing an important in February 2017. Following her appointment she has been chapter in the life of this remarkable public institution. leading a whole of organisation effort to develop a new Patrick turned the move to Carlton and the creation of a strategic vision to take us towards 2025 and launching network of museums into a terrific success and he greatly an exciting and ambitious schedule of exhibitions and strengthened the collections management and scholarly initiatives for this year. work upon which enduring great museums are built. While there have been changes in leadership the A crowning achievement of Dr Greene’s time was the outstanding work of the staff of Museums Victoria has opening of the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery, a truly been continuing as you will find detailed in this report. beautiful fusion of the best scholarship on early learning We are a rare Museum organisation, fortunate in our with enchanting design. Since opening in December multiple museum sites across the physical, the virtual and 2016, the significant boost to gallery family membership outreach. The endeavours of scholarship move throughout attendance shows the youngest Victorians and their all our experiences, and translate into a dynamic and parents falling in love with the Museum once again. thriving education offering. This last year we also marked with great gratitude the We only can do all of these because of the outstanding conclusion of the term of Professor Margaret Gardner AO as support of the Victorian Government, corporate partners, President of the Museums Board of Victoria after 8 years of philanthropists and supporters, and, of course, our so ably steering the Museum through a very successful era. many visitors. This year also saw the conclusion of the terms of two Along with my colleagues of the Board, the Chief Executive of our board members. Sylvia Falzon after seven years Officer, Executive Team and Museums Victoria staff, we of exceptional service during which time she championed look forward to building Museums Victoria’s next chapter, a stronger development focus and greater revenue where people are enriched by wondrous discovery and diversification through our commercial efforts, and trusted knowledge, and society is compelled to act for generously acted in the Board Treasurer role in between a thriving future. permanent appointees. She also played a pivotal role in some of our most important philanthropic developments. Dr Rufus Black President, Museums Board of Victoria 2 Museums Victoria Annual Report 2016–17 Chief Executive Officer’s Message Joining Museums Victoria in February 2017, I discovered These ideas are now being shaped into a strategic plan an organisation of abundant opportunity and potential. that will be finalised in 2017. A key focus will be building a The extraordinary diversity of people, skills and talent complementary capability to produce even more responsive supports world-leading expertise in delivering museum and agile experiences to sit alongside established skills at experiences founded in the magnificent museum creating exceptional long-term exhibitions and experiences. collection and quality research programs. In addition, a dynamic new program of exhibitions, events and experiences is envisioned, with the goal of further Highlights from the last year illustrate this remarkable leveraging the museum’s collections, research and spaces breadth of expertise. In May 2017, Museums Victoria’s to continue to grow our audience base and provide more scientists led an international team on CSIRO’s Research opportunities to engage with visitors of all ages. Vessel Investigator to explore the biodiversity of the ocean abyss, four kilometres below the surface off the coast This year Museums Victoria farewelled two long-standing of eastern Australia. Their discoveries, which are likely Executives: Dr Robin Hirst PSM, Director – Collections, to include several species never previously described, Research and Exhibitions, and Tim Hart, Director – Public attracted international attention and demonstrated the Engagement. These departures will be deeply felt. significant research abilities that Museums Victoria is Robin’s eminent career with the museum has been integral recognised for. to outstanding exhibition development at Scienceworks and In March we launched Invisible Farmer, a three-year the Planetarium, the Immigration Museum and Melbourne research project into the untold stories of Australian Museum. Under Robin’s leadership, the development, care and women farmers. This will be the largest-ever study of access to the collections has been transformed, and he has Australian women on rural land, spanning research, built strong research partnerships with many universities. scholarship, academic partnerships and community Tim’s deep commitment to museum practice, digital making in regions right across Australia. transformation and collections has shaped the dynamic, In our Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre we public presence of Museums Victoria to reach national and commemorated the 50th anniversary of the 1967 international standing through multiple cultural exchanges referendum in which Australians voted to include and significant partnerships. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the national To Robin and Tim, I express my profound gratitude for census – a landmark event in the inclusion and the welcome, insights and support offered since my recognition of our first peoples. arrival and I wish them every success for the future. And we saw an extraordinary response to the launch of The achievements of Museums Victoria are a testament to the new Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery, an internationally the skill and dedication of our Board, staff and volunteers, ground-breaking early-learning experience for babies and and the generosity of our supporters. To these people, our children 0–5 years old. The first four months of opening saw greatest asset, I extend my thanks for the successes of the an increase in the number of children visiting Melbourne last year and for the opportunity to take our world-class Museum of almost 30% while