Strategic Plan 2024 - 2026
Shaping the Future
Western Australian Museum Strategic Plan 2024 - 2026.
Introduction
We have pleasure in presenting the WA Museum’s updated Strategic Plan. This strategic plan is a ‘refresh’ of the 2022 – 2026 plan, Past, Present, Future, published in early 2022.
The purpose of the refresh is to ensure that the Museum’s Strategy remains current and relevant, taking account of the constantly changing environment in which we operate and being agile in its response to these changing influences.
With a relatively new Board of Trustees since the publication of the 2022 plan, and with the benefit of the recently released strategic plan of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, there was further impetus to align and enliven the Museum’s Strategic Plan.
The plan remains steadfastly focussed on its original intent – how the Museum can maximise its social and scientific impact state-wide and ensure its operational effectiveness. As this was a refresh exercise, neither the substantive direction of the plan, nor its four pillars have changed.
They remain:
- At the Heart of the Community
- Sustainability
- Working with and empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- Delivering State-wide.
Within the framework of these pillars, however, the strategic goals have been re-visited, rationalised, re-drafted and re-energised, and in some cases, retired.
Our aspiration remains ‘to be valued, used and admired by all Western Australians and the world’. It is an aspiration easy to articulate but harder to achieve. We are fortunate to have the expertise, commitment, and ingenuity of our team to pursue it, and this plan is our blueprint for success.
Hon Sheila McHale AM
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees
Alec Coles OBE
Chief Executive Officer
Mission
Inspiring people’s curiosity to explore the past, question the present, and shape the future
Koorah Nitja Boordahwan – Past, Present, Future
Aspiration
To be valued, used and admired by all Western Australians and the world
Vision
An informed and engaged community working together for a better future
Re-think your world.
Values
Respectful
We will respect the views and opinions of others, consider their needs and sensibilities, and work collaboratively to build trust and understanding.
Inclusive
We welcome and engage with people of all abilities, backgrounds and experiences. We will make sure that our workplace, facilities, programs and resources are accessible to all.
Accountable
We exist for the benefit of all the people of Western Australia, including those in the regions. We hold ourselves accountable to them and are joint custodians of their collections.
Enterprising
We will be creative, resourceful, imaginative, innovative, agile and entrepreneurial. We will be commercially astute, embrace change and aspire to excellence in all we do.
Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia
We acknowledge the primary rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their cultural heritage and will work collaboratively to advance understanding between all peoples.
Delivery of Government Priorities and Plans
The WA Museum Strategic Plan and planning processes align with and contribute to the delivery of strategic priorities of the Department of Local Government Sports and Cultural Industries, and other State and Federal government plans and priorities.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The WA Museum is committed to supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals: each of the organisational pillars is mapped against relevant goals.
Organisational Pillars
The Museum’s philosophy is ‘people-first’ and we will engage the community in the creation and sharing of knowledge, ideas and stories.
We will:
1.1 Value and build diverse audiences.
1.2 Grow the membership base, to increase a sense of ownership.
1.3 Create experiences that resonate, affect, and engage.
1.4 Delight and inspire our audiences.
1.5 Share the stories of Western Australia.
An agile organisation committed to social, environmental and organisational sustainability.
We will:
2.1 Contribute to understanding and conservation of the environment by being a global partner in collections‑based research.
2.2 Create safe, inclusive and accessible opportunities to inspire curiosity, share stories, and foster understanding of ourselves and our world.
2.3 Devise a sustainable business model to develop and manage our collections, expertise, buildings, systems, exhibitions and programmes.
2.4 Maximise opportunities offered by digital transformation.
2.5 Build partnerships that create impact and potential.
The Museum values open, honest, collaborative and respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities to enable truth-telling and to create welcoming and safe places.
We will:
3.1 Embrace sound principles of engagement and truth‑telling by working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
3.2 Increase understanding of Aboriginal culture to promote cultural awareness and responsiveness by Museum staff, volunteers, contractors and visitors.
3.3 Support repatriation of human remains and secret/sacred material to communities of origin, in accordance with correct cultural protocols.
3.4 Commit to attain Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) status and investigate progression to Elevate RAP.
3.5 Implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and training strategy.
Working across the State for the benefit of all Western Australians, ensuring regional engagement in organisational practices and processes.
We will:
4.1 Serve the whole State with a focus on access and connectivity.
4.2 Ensure that our regional museums sit at the heart of their communities.
4.3 Promote Museums as must‑visit Tourist destinations, in the Perth Cultural Centre, in Fremantle and in the regions.
4.4 Support the wider collections sector across the State.
4.5 Showcase Western Australia to the world and the world to Western Australia.
Image: Fuzz Digital Media
