Record education visitors at Melbourne Museum

The last year saw a record number of students visit the Melbourne Museum for education experiences tailored to the curriculum.

140,360 students flocked to Melbourne Museum in 2013/14, a significant 15% increase on the previous year.

Museum Victoria also broke its own record for the best ever general visitation numbers, with over 1.3 million people visiting Immigration Museum, Scienceworks and Melbourne Museum over the twelve month period, 7% more than the previous year.

Commenting on the visitation, Victorian Minister for the Arts Heidi Victoria said that the figures illustrate Museum Victoria’s significant contribution to Victoria’s cultural life, and to the education experiences of young Victorians.

Minister Victoria stated “from Melbourne Museum to Scienceworks and the Immigration Museum, Museum Victoria’s venues offer a range of ways for people of all ages to engage with our stories and explore the possibilities of the future.

“Museums can play a powerful role in education – connecting students to history, science, social issues, culture, identity and more, in an interactive and engaging way. It is wonderful to see that our museums are contributing to the development Victoria’s students at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and, increasingly, with early learners”.

Museum Victoria acting Chief Executive Dr Robin Hirst “such strong visitation is a direct benefit of continued Victorian government investment in our long-term exhibitions, such as First Peoples and the Science and Life Gallery at Melbourne Museum.

“This investment allows our museums to continue to develop exhibitions that are contemporary, relevant to students and up-to-date with current curriculum.”

Melbourne Museum’s education programs, such as, Bugs, Bugs, Bugs, Our Shared History and Grandma’s Tool Box, relate directly to long-term exhibitions and are consistently booked out by schools from around Victoria.

Dr Hirst added “with the education sector, it takes between two and three years to establish and make a connection to new exhibitions and what we’re seeing now is a realisation from teachers of just how relevant the programs, focused on the core topics of history, science and indigenous studies, are to Victoria’s schools and educational institutions.”

Museum Victoria’s Education and Community Programs department develops on-site programs at Melbourne Museum, Immigration Museum, IMAX and Scienceworks, Museum In A Van outreach programs across regional Victoria, extensive online curriculum-related resources for teachers and students and teacher personal development programs. 

30th August 2012 - WHAT’S NEXT FOR MELBOURNE’S ARTS PRECINCT?

8th May 2012 - MUSEUM VICTORIA FACES STAFF AND EXHIBITION CUTS 

6th December 2011 - TUTANKHAMUN BREAKS BOX OFFICE RECORDS FOR MELBOURNE

10th April 2011 - TUTANKHAMUN EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE MELBOURNE MUSEUM 

14th June 2010 - 20 YEARS OF INDIGENOUS THEATRE CELEBRATED AT BUNJILAKA 

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