Community panels shaping the New Museum

Article | Updated 7 years ago

Curator handing a shell to a man, woman to his left and children to his right. — **Community panel members behind the scenes with WA Museum curator holding a shell**
Image Copyright WA Museum

Every three months a group of sixty community members come together to discuss the New Museum Project and provide insight into how the building and content should take shape.

They come from around Western Australia, from as far away as Meekatharra and Albany and as close as the Perth metro area. They represent many aspects of WA’s diverse communities and bring their ideas, experiences, and love of great museums, buildings and public spaces to the conversation.

The panels were established in 2015 and over the past two years have provided valuable input into the themes of the New Museum and more recently into the building concept design.

Late last year Multiplex’s design team from HASSELL+OMA presented the building concept design and elements of the landscape to the panels, and to the WA Museum’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee for feedback.

With input from the panels, feedback around visitor journey, colours of spaces, types of water fountains and accessibility considerations have been taken on board.

This year, the panels provided their insight and perspectives on the different ways people prefer to navigate and find their way around public buildings. The information from this meeting is being used to shape the wayfinding and signage strategy for the New Museum.

In the future the panels will also be testing and trying prototypes of exhibition design and wayfinding for the new spaces, so watch this space for more updates!