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NEWS

State of the arts

he new Western Australian Museum will open in November this year. The first
T gallery visitors will encounter is Ngalang Koort Boodja Wirn – heart, country, spirit –
reflecting the spirit of the State’s people. The museum is being developed with a people-
first approach and will feature West Australians telling their stories in their own voices,
especially Aboriginal voices, throughout the museum. There are eight large galleries,
including the Stan Perron Treasures WA Gallery, while there is also space for international
exhibitions. While construction of the new museum started in early 2018, work behind
the scenes in preparing the galleries has been endless and will be showcased in the
Reflection gallery. “I think one of the unique selling points for the museum, apart from
the building, is that we have had this principle about people-first and we have now talked
to 50,000 people about opinions, views, stories and collected new stories. There will be
some old favourites in there, but of course there will be a lot of new material in there from
the new stories we have collected and the new and many voices we’ve heard,” Western
Australian Museum chief executive Alec Coles told Paydirt.

The refurbished WA Museum
is set to open in November

oogle will answer most questions, but where possible, we won’t speak for any- faster than the one presently at hand.
G“it is not the same as having the real one who can speak for themselves, par- “[It is about] safe places for unsafe ide-
thing”, according to Western Australian ticularly the Aboriginal communities. We as. That means you can have the type of
Museum chief executive Alec Coles. want to hear first-hand and that element of debates and discussions in a museum that
“What is really important to us is authen- authenticity is absolutely key.” you can’t have easily elsewhere in a re-
ticity. It is a trust thing; what do museums In an age driven by instant connectiv- sponsible, authoritative way; people trust
have that can’t be replicated elsewhere? ity manufactured by technology and digi- museums and that is our unique selling
We have real objects, real things, real sto- tal platforms, the need for history to be point,” Coles said.
ries and in many cases those stories will remembered, preserved and celebrated “Museums are great democratising
be told by the real people behind them is more vital than ever before the next in- spaces; they are great spaces where peo-
in their own voices. Our principle is that dustrial revolution sweeps through society ple can learn at their own pace and they

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