Experience museum week

I am always one to promote a good event and I think the opportunity to promote WA’s museums and other cultural locations one too good to pass up. Today officially heralds the start of Museum and Gallery Week 2010 and the WA museum’s and galleries are definitely getting involved.

International Museum Day began in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Since then it has grown in popularity around the world.  In 2009, it experienced record participation of almost 20,000 museums, who organized activities in more than 90 countries. 
 
Running from May 15 to May 23, Museums Australia WA executive officer Jane King says the week is a good opportunity for WA galleries, museums and cultural centres to talk about what they have on offer. 


“This annual week-long celebration, encompassing International Museum Day, provides the opportunity for Western Australian museums and galleries to showcase their collections and stories to the public while taking part in the global celebration of International Museum Day,” she says.
In 2010, the theme of International Museum Day is Social Harmony. “Western Australia is proud of its diverse cultural heritage and our museums and galleries are important places where that culture is expressed,” Jane says. “ Our art, our stories, our history all unfold through the objects we collect.”
 
Highlights of this years Museum and Gallery Week included the launch of the blockbuster exhibition “A day in Pompeii” at the Western Australian Museum. At the Art Gallery of WA “Patricia Piccinini: relativity” exhibition in which the artist examine the connections between science and nature, art and the environment.

The commitment and budding talent of our young artists can been seen in two exciting exhibitions:  at AGWA it is the final month of the “Year 12 Perspectives” exhibition and at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) is the annual “Hatched” exhibition featuring work from recent tertiary graduates from around Australia.
 

The City of Wanneroo has a range of activities organised around its new Regional Museum and Art Gallery, and at its heritage sites of Cockman House and Buckingham House. Similarly the City of Melville has activities and public talks at Heathcote Museums and Gallery, Wireless Hill Telecommunication Museum and the Miller Bakehouse Museum.


“All around the metropolitan area and in regional locations there is an enormous treasure trove to be found in our community galleries and museums, many of these holding collections which are of National and State Significance as well as being the keepers of our important local stories,” Jane says.