Audio on demand

Artist Mandy Martin, historian Libby Robin and zoologist Chris Dickman join Guy Fitzhardinge from Desert Channels Queensland for an insightful discussion that explores partnerships, art and writings about conservation around our desert rivers.

James Gardner discusses museum responses to the spontaneous memorials following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. He looks at tensions between memorialising, collecting and interpreting historic events. Also forthcoming in Grassroots Memorials.

Roslyn Russell examines the development of the Significance publication and suggests that the preservation of an object’s function in the conservation process is important where the function is an integral part of the object’s significance.

Following on from last year’s presentation on light levels, Nicki Smith examines the latest developments in risk management and light levels.

Conservator David Hallam and curator Guy Hansen discuss the process of restoring the Royal Daimler.

Philip Jones delivers ‘From curation to management: reflections on museum objects’, a consideration of how the traditional curatorial role has changed.

Margy Burn from the National Library of Australia, Michael Crayford from the National Maritime Museum and John Greenwood from the University of Canberra review the themes discussed during the day with Louise Douglas from the National Museum of Australia.

Eric Archer reflects on the achievements in the conservation professions and the incorporation of conservators into mainstream collections management structures. He also raises the issue of how to open up objects in non-displayed collections.

Christopher Snelling provides a case study on how the Powerhouse Discovery Centre and collection stores at Castle Hill have been developed and opened to the public.

Mathew Trinca proposes that at the heart of museums lies a deep commitment to the idea that our material lives are worth recording and that our heritage objects provide insights into the circumstances and meaning of human life.