Australian historic institutions are surviving the digital age, particularly when it comes to finding information, sources and sites, and its continuing relevance has allowed for greater sustainability.
From 1865, the historic Illawarra Museum building housed the region’s Post and Telegraph Office, in a time prior to the invention of the telephone.
Today the two-story building displays experiences of past lives, from a working Blacksmith’s shop, to a Stockman’s Hut. There’s also a 50s schoolroom, which is popular amongst children, as they learn how different education was prior to the introduction tablets and computers, a few short years ago.
Illawarra Museum volunteer, John Shipp said the value of information, artifacts, and primary sources is what makes NSW museums relevant in today’s digital society, and provides an important gateway to the past that future generations can access.
“They’re important because they’re a record of our former endeavour and life,” Mr Shipp said.
“It’s a reminder to the present of what happened in the past, and the sort of trials and tribulations, and joy that our ancestors experienced.
“We tell people about the past, and the aspects of daily life in Wollongong.”
Source: (Western Australia Museum, National Museum of Australia and Australian Museum)
Wollongong resident, Barbara Noble said museum visits bring a unique experience, an experience that digital media fails to replace.
“I love the history of them. I love looking at the world of the past, not just a natural history like the dinosaurs, but the history of world events, and seeing them in person rather than looking at them on a screen,” Ms Noble said.
“It is completely different to looking at it on a screen.
“I’ve been to museums all over the world, and standing in front of Tutankhamen’s death mask is completely different to looking at it on my phone.”
Museums such as the National Museum of Australia and the Western Australia Museum continue to be successful with both visits and revenue, raking substantial revenue, both from government funding and visit revenue.
The National Museum of Australia attracted 687,5 567 visitors on-site between 2024-25 and as a result, brought in revenue, excluding government and program income, of 16.3 million dollars.
Museum of Australia, Chair and Director, Daryl Karp said the role that museums play in the economy was an important factor, as well as adding value to the communities it serves.
“Time and again, museums have demonstrated their ability, not only to boost local economies, but also to bring people and communities together,” Ms Karp said.
Source: ( Western Australia Museum, National Museum of Australia and Australian Museum)
The challenge that museums face, however, is adapting to the advancement in technology, the attention of the public, as well as constant changes in exhibits to sustain engagement and relevancy.
Both Mr Shipp and Ms Noble agree on the adaptability that museums need in order to keep and gain popularity with visitors, who may lose attention in the exhibits.
“We find increasingly that if it’s not verbal or images, people simply ignore it, and that’s always a ponder,” Mr Schipp said.
“We’ve tried putting stories up on the web; some of them get accessed, but not a lot.
“It’s a mix of approaches that we need to have our museums very small, and we like a lot of the technology and skills to present the artefacts differently.”
Ms Noble agrees it’s important for museums to adapt and be flexible.
“There are some great interactive museums,” she said.
“There’s one in Hobart, Tasmania, called the MONA Museum of Old and New Art, and that’s partially interactive, but it’s also set up to surprise or embarrass people…so yes, I think museums are changing.
“I think the government also needs to keep supporting them, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to renew and build on what they’ve got.”
Western Australia Museum, Terrestrial Invertebrates curator, Nikolai Tatarnic said museums offer collections of items that are not made or extinct, thus allowing future generations to hold onto artifacts that they didn’t have during their own time period.
“They are incredibly important because they help tell us what the landscape used to look like in the past, what animals used to be in certain areas, what their distributions were,” Mr Tatarnic said.
“A lot of species that we discover in our collections are now extinct. So maintaining these collections and building these collections helps us connect the past to the present.
“It also gives us an idea of how things are changing and gives us a way of hopefully preparing for changes that come from development and climate change.”
While visitor numbers are steadily increasing, so is the value of museums.
Data from IBIS world has suggested that the market value for museums is increasing due to the age and rarity of the artifacts that they contain.
Australian Museum Director and CEO, Kim McKay appreciated the prestigious exhibitions that her museum holds and how they’ve had a positive impact on both the economy, community and city tourism.
“It is rewarding to see how culture can contribute to the economic and community health of our city,” Ms McKay said.
“Exhibitions of this scope and scale help create vibrant and inclusive cities.”
Source: (IBIS World)
As for the future of museums, there is optimism, especially for the National Museum of Australia, which aims to have a rise of six per cent in visitors between 2026 to 2029, according to its coporate plan.
The predicted rise is due to utilising government funding, donations and prioritising expanding audience engagement.
