Some visitor comments collected during interviews in 2007-2008

September 2007

• I like how it represents early Australia. Beautifully set out.
• The rotating theatre, Circa. I liked the natural history stuff. I like the idea of the Garden, also the beasties.
• I really like the theatre where you can sit and hear the talks. Well set up, and great for kids. I was interested in the mining exhibits, which are well presented.
• Kspace and the tree house. The interactives.
• The building is spectacular. The staff are terrific.

October 2007

• The preserving of Australian history and stories. It is lovely to see so many children here.
• I am interested in history and the museum is the best place to come.
• Lovely story of what it is to be an Australian.
• Design well done, exhibits clearly understandable.
• The building is fantastic, the exhibitions just class, makes you proud to be an Australian.

January 2008

• Spacious. The museum itself is a work of art. The atmosphere. Everything is so well presented.
• The Holden car, the Australian outback history, the pioneers.
• Architecture – the building. Interesting, bright and cheerful.
• 'Papunya' is a wonderful exhibition. All the exhibitions which come here are wonderful.
• Location – easy parking and road access. Things for kids, like Kspace. Very relaxed atmosphere.

March 2008

• The way it's done, everything. Australiana – we felt a connection with it.
• Guides were very helpful and kind. The truth about Aboriginals and European people – good to have it recognised. Presentation is good. It's free – you don't have to pay.
• Very diverse – open, light, airy, not as we expect a museum to be. Things are nicely displayed.
• The coffee is good, the foyer excellent, goods views, terrific building, and still easy to park.
• We only came for 'League of Legends'. It's excellent, plenty of information. Good to see the old photos and jerseys. Loved the bling – the trophies.

April 2008

• Kspace, Circa, Australian history. The kids were catered for – a guide helped the children understand the kids' area.
• Location. Open, easy to get around. The special exhibitions are always interesting. Love the Shop for buying special presents – always interesting wares.
• Somewhere to bring the family. Even young children like the museum, especially Kspace.
• The way it is set out. Interactive exhibits. Caters for all ages. Easy to bring a family – it's family-friendly.
• Convenience for visiting – ease of parking, easy to get here. New exhibitions to see on a regular basis.

May 2008

• It's free, good parking. Nicely designed inside and out. Staff are helpful.
• The Indigenous part is tremendous, especially the Torres Strait Islander part which fascinates me. The coverage is adequate for Aboriginal exhibits – not too much, not too little.
• It's an Australian museum and specialises in our history. Architecture is innovative. Spacious – even when there were school groups.
• The Australiana – Holden car, Hills hoist, the food items of the 50s. Circa. The architecture of the building and the location are wonderful.
• The variety. I always come away from the museum having enjoyed the visit.

September 2007

• External design – though the explanation helped.
• Space – not enough discretion between different exhibition elements. Noisy – too much sensory overlap from surrounding areas.
• I would like to see 'We are here' sections on the map corresponding to areas of the museum. It was difficult to find the way out.
• Spaciousness – it's too large.
• Some of the displays and information are too geared to school children. It is a little too entertaining – shouldn't be so simplistic. I'd rather have a bit more of an academic approach.

October 2007

• Need more light so I can read the small print on the captions.
• Waste of space. Money could have been better spent on factual things, not arty-farty stuff.
• Chaotic – I lost my husband.
• Exhibits too modern and too arty. Labels hard to find and read. Overall – no depth, e.g. Lindy Chamberlain exhibit – meaningless. Circa has too many flashing lights.
• Too many children.

January 2008

• Nothing, except we need MORE of the same.
• In the inventors exhibit section the signage is too far back and hard to read.
• Too much Aboriginal stuff – seems to be devoted to Aboriginal artefacts, very little on white Australian history.
• Noisy, a problem with the acoustics. Lack of systematic approach must be particularly confusing for non-Australians who visit.
• Not nearly enough in the museum - all space and no show.

March 2008

• Prices – the Shop is a bit expensive. Difficult to find your way back to the Hall from the end gallery.
• It requires a lot of walking.
• Difficult to know where we are and where to go. Need to have some guides or leaflets in reach.
• No logical flow or progression – it goes back and forth. Lighting of many exhibits is dull. Signs are not well illuminated, and are behind glass.
• A lot of noise with the school kids – some barge in front of you.

April 2008

• Would like to know if there is a set way to go around so we don't miss anything. You get disorientated after a while.
• Parking – not sufficient spaces.
• Difficult to exit. Went to Kspace, then into the garden, and that's where we had difficulties because we went into another door across the garden and found ourselves in a warren of dark areas.
• I am thinking very hard, but can't come up with anything I don't like. Orientation around the galleries can be difficult, but I have been so many times I have a vivid mental picture of it overall.
• Couldn't see a lot from the wheelchair – you get what you can.

May 2008

• Nothing – except it was hard to find the way around, we don't know if we have seen it all. To get out, we had to go back through exhibitions we had already seen.
• You think you'd have an earlier Holden than '55!
• It is hard to keep your orientation – a combination of the design of the exhibitions and the nature of the building. People whose eyesight is compromised would have difficulty reading the information, as it is quite dark.
• Too much emphasis on Aboriginal history.
• It's ugly – colours are ugly. Foyer is spaced out – not very welcoming.