News

• 2003-07-10 - Victorians Embrace Melbourne’s Museums

  The decision to cut entry prices to Melbourne museums has led to a massive increase in attendance levels, Premier Steve Bracks announced today.

  “Victorians have been voting with their feet since prices were reduced at the Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and the Immigration Museum eight weeks ago,” Mr Bracks said.

  Mr Bracks said Museum Victoria would today issue the 250,000th ticket across the three museums since May 14, when prices for children and concession card holders were scrapped and adults charged a flat $6 entry.

  “That represents a massive 47 per cent increase on the 169,582 tickets issued over the same period last year,” Mr Bracks said.

  “By making entry prices more affordable, we have been able to attract many thousands of extra visitors and make our museums more accessible to all Victorians,” he said.

  Mr Bracks said visits to the three museums by children had increased by 88 per cent, concession card holders 139 per cent, and adults 22 per cent over the eight weeks.

  Attendances totalled 135,720 (up 60 per cent) at Melbourne Museum, 92,062 (up 29 per cent) at Scienceworks and 21,840 (up 68 per cent) at the Immigration Museum since May 14.

  Mr Bracks said feedback from visitors had confirmed that price had been a deterrent to many families visiting the museums, particularly Melbourne Museum, which had the highest entry charges of $15.

  “Entry prices for families are now cheaper than an outing to the movies or the football, and visitors are enjoying the experience so much they are returning for new exhibitions,” he said.

  “School holiday attendances have been through the roof, and tourists are also taking advantage of the cheaper entry fees,” he said.

  The State Government provided an extra $30.3 million in the May Budget to put the museums on a more sustainable footing.

  “We’re committed to making sure our museums continue to record, preserve and present the State’s heritage for present and future generations,” he said.

   

• 2000-10-13 - Melbourne Museum To Open For Free On First Weekend

  Victorians will be able to experience their new museum for free on its opening weekend of 21-22 October, the State Government announced today.

  Arts Minister Mary Delahunty said the decision to allow free entry on the opening weekend would enable as many Victorians as possible to share in the festivities surrounding the museum’s opening, including the colourful gala parade on Saturday and other weekend events made possible by the generous support of The Age newspaper.

  The Minister also announced that from Monday 23 October until March 2001, entry fees to Melbourne Museum would be half price. The decision to reduce the entry price was in view of the staged nature of the Museum’s opening.

  Museum Victoria’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. George MacDonald, said that the Museum’s official opening at 11.00 a.m. on Saturday morning would be a momentous occasion in the history of this State.

  “We are delighted to be able to offer free entry to Australia’s newest and largest Museum on October 21 and 22, and the Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of The Age newspaper, which is sponsoring the opening of Melbourne Museum,” Dr. MacDonald said.

  Melbourne Museum Stage One will be officially opened by the Premier at a major public event on Saturday 21 October. Stage One will include all the Museum’s primary foyers and circulation spaces – many of which contain fascinating individual exhibits and artworks – and amenities such as a fine dining restaurant, family cafes, the Museum Shop, the InfoZone resource centre, and schools education rooms.

  Exhibition galleries opening under Stage One are the Australia Gallery, featuring the new Phar Lap exhibition; Bunjilaka, the Aboriginal Centre, with its associated interpretive garden and performance theatre; Te Pasifika Gallery, showcasing the watercraft and maritime traditions of the Pacific Islands; the Touring Exhibition Hall with its first blockbuster exhibition Body Art (Rated M, separate ticket and entry fee applies). Sections of the Children’s Museum, including the Children’s Gallery and the Tattersall’s Children’s Playground will also be opening.

  Gallery attractions that will open in coming months include:

  Forest Gallery and Children’s Museum Big Box Gallery: late 2000
  Science and Life Gallery, Mind and Body Gallery and Evolution Gallery (featuring the Dinosaurs in Time exhibition): early 2001

  Ms Delahunty said that when it was fully commissioned, Melbourne Museum would be one of the world’s great museums.

  “This will be a museum like no other,” Ms Delahunty said.

  “Its offering of exhibitions, activity programs, resource material and public amenities will set new standards for cultural venues in other countries to live up to.

  “From an educational perspective, this Museum will be a vast resource for school groups and a veritable wonderland for families to explore together.

  “In addition, it will be full of performance, and interactive and living exhibits designed to engage visitors so they can learn and be entertained at the same time.”

  Entry prices to Melbourne Museum will be as follows:

  Special half price entry: 23 October 2000 - 9 March 2001

  Melbourne Museum Half Price Entry Full Price Entry
  Ends 9 March From 10 March
  Adult $6.00 $12.00
  Concession $4.50 $9.00
  Child $3.30 $6.60
  Family $16.50 $33.00