National Museum of Australia - Program 1.1 - Collection development and management

A colour photograph of an artwork. The artwork depicts four people on horseback. They appear to be chasing four people on foot. All of the action in the artwork moves from the right to the left. The people on the horses have been depicted with pink skin, while the people on foot have been depicted with darker skin. The horseriders appear to be using whips to catch the people on foot. The action takes place in a brown and parched landscape that has a few trees in the distance. Beyond the trees can be seen the sky with scattered clouds. The entire artwork has been created in a simple or 'naive' style.

Big Boss with Whip, by Nancy McDinny, recalls the conflict between pastoralists and Indigenous people in northern Queensland.

The National Museum of Australia seeks to build and care for a broad-based collection that provides a material record of Australian history. The National Historical Collection is the Museum's core collection, and consists of the most historically and culturally significant objects acquired by the Museum. There are more than 200,000 items in this collection. The Museum's other collections include the Archive Collection, comprising documents, photographs, and sound and vision recordings associated with material in the National Historical Collection; the Education Collection, comprising materials that support Museum programs and activities; and the Museum Collection, which supports the exhibition program.

As has been the case each year since its opening in 2001, the Museum met or exceeded Program 1.1 measures this year.

Performance summary, measured against PBS

Performance indicators	Achievements
QUALITY 100% of National Historical Collection acquisitions are consistent with acquisitions policy	ACTUAL: 100%
75% of the National Historical Collection stored in accordance with appropriate museum standards	ACTUAL: 81%
QUANTITY 1000 conservation treatments undertaken to maintain appropriate condition of items	ACTUAL: 1469
7500 National Historical Collection items accessible via the Museum's website	ACTUAL: 15,877