2019 – Annual Report 2018 Otago Museum main entrance. 2 Cover image: Marcus Richards at Moa footprint excavation at Kyeburn River. CONTENTS 4 Foreword, Chair, Otago Museum Trust Board 5 Year in Review, Director, Otago Museum 6 He maumaharataka 7 2018–2019 Key Highlights and Achievements 10 Our Mission 12 Otago Museum Trust Board 13 Māori Advisory Committee 13 Honorary Curators 13 Association of Friends of the Otago Museum 14 Goal 1: A world-class collection A community’s collection An accessible collection Understanding our world 18 Goal 2: Engage with our community and stakeholders Going out to our community 2019 Otago Wildlife Photography Competition Bringing our community to us Listening to our community 23 Goal 3: Inspire lifelong learning Engagement and education Girlboss Wikipedia at Otago Museum Public talks 26 Goal 4: Business sustainability Developing revenue A beautiful space for a unique event Working together as an organisation In-house talent Funding increases 30 Otago Museum Staff List 2018–2019 33 Appendix 1: Statement of Service Performance 52 Appendix 2: Financial Statements 89 Appendix 3: Independent Auditor’s Report 3 FOREWORD I have to start by saying that I wish I wasn’t Council, Clutha District Council, Waitaki District writing this foreword. It should be Graham Council, and the Dunedin City Council. Crombie’s job. Together with everyone at the Museum, I remain immensely saddened by Perhaps even more important, was the Graham’s premature passing. He was a truly acknowledgment of the financial challenges we exceptional Chair, and I, together with the rest face, and a commitment to redress where possible of his Board colleagues, learned a great deal the current shortfall in the Museum’s funding over from him. He is sorely missed, and our thoughts, the coming two years. as always, are for Janet and the rest of his family. In addition, we also offer our thanks to the Graham left us in good stead. This report Queenstown Lakes District Council who, outlines a number of significant achievements with a three-year commitment, generously throughout the year, notes some of the commenced providing an annual grant from challenges we face as an institution and sets out this year. Thank you. some of the future projects we are undertaking. It is time though, to note that, for historic reasons, A clear highlight was the celebration of the collection at Otago Museum is one of the Museum’s 150th birthday. The Museum’s national significance. Access to the collection is exhibition, est. 1868, to celebrate this was sought from around the world. Some aspects are beautifully curated and showcased the unique. The burden of care of such an important diversity of the Museum collection. I collection should not have to be wholly met by the wholeheartedly congratulate the team ratepayers of Otago. on this magnificent exhibition. Our collection is at least comparable to those The collection is of course the very soul of any of the other municipal museums, including the museum and we are extremely proud of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and even dedicated team we have here at the Otago Te Papa, and yet our ratepayer base is an order Museum, led by Robert Morris. The team this of magnitude smaller. We need a concerted and year has faced extra pressures – arising from consistent voice from across our community to unmissable opportunities. ensure central government steps up to provide the required level of support for care and Not only have they curated est.1868 for our access to this world class collection. 150th anniversary, they have also worked with Nancy Longnecker and the University of Otago to Otago Museum provides wonderful value for put on their sesquicentennial exhibition, money for our community, and the nation’s – the Dare to be Wise. world’s – researchers. We couldn’t do this without the support of our partners including the Otago Furthermore, it was all hands on deck to ensure Community Trust, Perpetual Guardian, NIWA, the recovery and preservation of a series of moa the University of Otago, MBIE Curious Minds, footprints from the bed of the Kyeburn River. the Dodd-Walls Centre, and many other And on top of all that, preparations and supporters. It is time though for a direct feasibility studies were performed allowing element of funding for collection care from us to secure the rights to the Australian central government. National Maritime Museum’s James Cameron – Challenging the Deep. Finally, my appreciation also goes to my fellow Board members. The Board has worked well This is all on top of the ongoing conservation during the year and addressed some major work that occurs behind the scenes. decisions in a professional manner. I appreciate the energy and commitment they bring to the Of course, it’s not just the Collections team Board and Otago Museum in general. working hard. Every aspect of the Museum demands dedication and hard work – from Ian From our current solid position, we are now Griffin’s guidance, to the communicators on the undertaking a major master planning exercise floor, to our amazing Education team, through to for the Museum and we encourage all our the staff in the Café and Shop, plus all the others stakeholders to become involved as we go who work behind the scenes. through this process. Through it, we look forward to a very positive future for Otago Museum. It takes an amazing team and sustained effort to keep an award-winning institution like ours delivering at the very highest level on a fraction of the budget of comparable institutions. David Hutchinson Regarding finances, after a significant period of Chair flat funding for the Museum, this year we greatly Otago Museum Trust Board appreciated an increase in support from our contributing authorities, Central Otago District 4 REVIEW YEAR IN Otago Museum opened its doors to the the Cook Islands, and Tonga as part of grant- public on 12 September 1868. As a result, funded programmes communicating the this year, we staged many events and challenges of climate change. activities celebrating our sesquicentenary. After several years of static funding, Dunedin On the anniversary of our opening, for City Council, Central Otago District Council, one day only, we waived all admission fees Clutha District Council, and Waitaki District for Tūhura and the Perpetual Guardian Council all agreed to increase their levy Planetarium. We were delighted when more contributions. Queenstown Lakes District than 2500 visitors came to the party! As Council has also decided to support the you will learn from the following pages, our Museum for the next three years. We are 150th birthday was a year that generated incredibly grateful for the ongoing support many unforgettable moments. of the ratepayers of Otago, whose levy contributions fund the core operations For me, one of the most extraordinary of this institution. experiences, not just of the past year, but possibly my entire professional life, A primary focus for next year continues to be occurred in May. I was enormously excited developing a plan to fund the considerable to witness the emergence and recovery of capital cost of upgrading the Museum’s seven moa footprints from the cold waters aging facilities and galleries. Over the next of the Kyeburn River. year, the senior team at the Museum will be working with the Board to develop a long The fact that this whole project began with term master plan. a fast response to a Facebook message demonstrates the enthusiasm and can-do In a year of many highlights, there was also attitude that abounds at our institution. one shattering low, with the untimely passing Our museum may not be in the business of of our long-serving Chair, Graham Crombie, moving mountains but, for three days in May, in February 2019. Kua hika ke tōtara i te woa the staff did manage to divert a mighty river! nui a Tāne. Graham played an influential role in making the Museum what it is today, and More than 348 000 people visited the his wise counsel will be missed by everyone Museum over the past 12 months. With a in the Otago Museum whānau. satisfaction rate of 93% (as measured by the Dunedin City Council’s Residents’ Opinion I’d like to record my appreciation to the Survey), we remain one of Dunedin’s best- members of the Museum Trust Board loved cultural attractions. The quality of the and our Māori Advisory Committee. work being carried out by our team was Their enthusiastic support is crucial to recognised by our peers when the Museum the success of the Museum. I’d particularly won three awards at this year’s Museums like to thank the new Chair, Professor David Aotearoa Conference. Hutchinson, Māori Advisory Committee Chair, Matapura Ellison, and the Friends of In 2018/19, we opened nine exhibitions. the Museum for their support throughout The largest, of course, was est. 1868, which the year. celebrated the incredible diversity of our collections. After three years of effort, the Finally, I must acknowledge the hard work Collections team completed the Lottery- and dedication of the Museum staff. Their funded Taoka Digitisation Project, which efforts have helped make 2018/19 a very digitised and catalogued more than 21 000 successful year. Taoka Māori, of which more than 17 000 are available online. Outreach is becoming an ever more critical component of the Museum’s work, and this Ian Griffin year, the staff gave lectures, presentations, Director demonstrations, and advice, which reached Otago Museum more than 26 000 people. The focus of our outreach effort has rightly been Otago. However, staff have ventured as far as Niue, 5 Auē rā te kaimōhū o te kākau Kua hika kā tōtara i te woa nui a Tāne The heart grieves Mighty tōtara have fallen in the forest of Tāne This year, the Museum has lost not one, but two, mighty tōtara.