Changes at the Museum, South Australian Museum, February 2024
The South Australian Museum is currently undergoing internal consultation with staff on a new structure to improve how we manage our globally significant collections and support essential scientific and cultural research.
The proposed changes will enhance this core part of our mission and deliver stronger outcomes for our whole community.
Last year our Board began the process of reviewing our Research and Collections Division. After extensive and transparent consultation with staff and external stakeholders, in February a proposed reform of the existing structure was communicated to staff for further consultation and feedback. Consultation will continue until the end of March.
The South Australian Museum is a beloved institution with a long history of preserving and sharing natural and cultural heritage, fostering learning, and engaging in the important conversations of our time. This will not change and there are no changes to our visitor services. These proposed changes to our workforce are about taking important steps now that will make our Museum more sustainable and accessible for the 21st century.
Q. Has the Museum stopped collecting?
No, collecting will always be a core to our mission both to preserve and promote the scientific and cultural heritage of South Australia but also to support research and the visitor experience.
Q. Is the Museum still going to do research?
Yes, absolutely. The proposed changes are not about stopping our research activities but about a new expanded model for research for the wider public we serve. The future focus will be on converting new discoveries and research into the visitor experience, both onsite and online, and refreshing that experience through new research.
Q. Will the Museum’s galleries be changing?
There are plans to invite the South Australian public into a wider conversation about how we can update and refresh our galleries and spaces, expand the ways that we share our collections and knowledge, and how we better connect our communities to the Museum’s research and collections.
In the meantime, the Museum remains very much open as usual where you can continue to enjoy all the Museum’s galleries and spaces.
Public consultation on the Re-imagining of the Museum will begin in April 2024. We look forward to your input and you can sign up to our mailing list if you want to know more.
See also: Tim Flannery warns SA Museum restructure could ‘destroy’ the institution
