Measuring cultural outcomes: case study work in progress. Melbourne Museum’s efforts to measure cultural outcomes of its activities
As the State’s museum, Museum Victoria has a responsibility “to engage and interact with broad and diverse audiences”. This responsibility is articulated in mission and strategic directions of the Museum and as part of its corporate planning the organisation is currently developing a Community Engagement Framework in order to describe and communicate the various layers of engagement and interaction it has with these audiences.
For example, did you know that the diving community helps Museum Victoria count fish in the Bay? Or that the museum partners with Indigenous and multicultural communities to create exhibitions, festivals and events from the community’s perspective? Or that each year the Immigration Museum, Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks receive a combined total 1.5 million visitors and an additional 50,000 Victorians, who cannot come to our museums, have museum experiences via our outreach program?
This work-in-progress presentation of the Museum Victoria Community Engagement Framework will highlight the whole of organisation approach undertaken in its development and its effect on evaluation, reporting and planning, especially measures and indicators based on broad and targeted reach and participation.
Georgie Meyer is Community Engagement Manager at the Immigration Museum, Museum Victoria, where she is responsible for community, education and general public programs. Georgie is also a board member of Multicultural Arts Victoria and volunteer member of the Public Programs committee at the Jewish Museum of Australia.
Linda Sproul has been with Museum Victoria since 1998 in a variety of exhibition and program focused roles and is currently the Manager, Museum Victoria Public Programs. This department includes the public programs at Immigration Museum, Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks, the MV Volunteer Program and the Museum Discovery Program. Linda is also the Chair, Arena Theatre Company.