Museums Aotearoa

Museums Aotearoa is New Zealand’s independent peak professional body for museums and those who work in or have an interest in them. Our vision is to raise the profile, strengthen the performance, and increase the value of museums and galleries to their stakeholders and the community.

Members include museums, public art galleries, historical societies, science centres, people who work within these institutions and individuals connected or associated with arts, culture and heritage in New Zealand. We have a commitment to support Kaitiaki Maori in New Zealand museums.

Museums Aotearoa strives to be the strong, objective, fully representative voice for the evolving museum community, and promotes a shared sense of professionalism, solidarity and identity.

Visit the website of Museums Aotearoa.

Projects 2012
Highlighting Diversity

Museums Aotearoa notifies, highlights and share examples of diversity in action in museums in its regular notices and newsletters to members. We work with the Asia NZ Foundation to provide grants for museums, art galleries and their staff to undertake projects which enhance our relationships with and understanding of Asian people and culture. More broadly, Museums Aotearoa is active in advocacy within and for the museum sector, and in developing capacity and understanding of diversity both internally and externally.

Annual conference: MA12

Our 2012 conference, “Collaboration in Practice”, will explore bicultural, financial and community partnerships. It will be held over three days at Te Papa Tongarewa, preceded by a day of associated events.

Museum Awards

We will be presenting the New Zealand Museum Awards in Wellington on 19 April 2012. The awards have been presented annually since 2008 to celebrate individuals and organisations who achieve excellence in the museum and gallery sector in New Zealand. The awards are open to individual or museum members of Museums Aotearoa, and are intended to:

  • encourage continuous improvement and development of museums and galleries;
  • inspire and recognise best practice and innovation;
  • acknowledge the contribution made by individuals to their institutions and to the gallery and museum sector;
  • enhance the profile of galleries and museums in local and wider communities.
Museums and Galleries Forum on Diversity

We will work with the Human Rights Commission, Te Papa and a network of local museums and galleries in Auckland with a view to co-hosting a museums and galleries forum on a diversity related theme at the New Zealand Diversity Forum in Auckland on 20 August 2012.

Touring exhibitions

Museums Aotearoa supports a touring exhibitions network among museums and art galleries, which extends local contexts to wider audiences nationally.

Kaitiaki Maori networks

Kaitiaki Maori networks in operation include active engagement with Museums Aotearoa and a hui in Wellington in April 2012.

International Museum Day

We will be promoting participation in International Museum Day on 18 May. The theme for 2012 is Museums in a Changing World: New challenges, New inspirations.

 

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