A New Era For Melbourne Museum’s Children’s Gallery
Melbourne Museum’s popular children’s gallery is being redeveloped and renamed the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery.
Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley today visited the Museum to announce the renaming and declared a new era for children visiting the gallery to learn through play.
The gallery will be renamed following a $1 million donation from Victorian philanthropists John and Pauline Gandel.
The interactive gallery, currently undergoing an extensive renovation, is designed to inspire children from infants to 5-year-olds to learn through play.
It will relaunch as the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery in December 2016, marking 100 years since the opening of the Museum’s first Children’s Room at the original site in the State Library of Victoria building.
In developing plans for the new space, Museum Victoria has consulted with a range of experts including educators, playground designers, health professionals, Indigenous community members and artists.
Critically, the Museum also listened to children to make sure the new Gallery hits the mark with its most important audience members.
Close to 625,000 children visited at least one of Museum Victoria’s venues in 2014-15, and 60 per cent of Victorian students visit every year. Melbourne Museum in Carlton Gardens is the most popular museum in the country.
In addition to the gift from the Gandel Foundation, the redevelopment has been supported by the Andrews Labor Government as part of the 2014-15 Victorian Budget commitment to exhibition renewal across Museum Victoria’s three venues – Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum and Scienceworks.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley
“Melbourne Museum’s Children’s Gallery has long been a beacon for children and their families and this redevelopment project marks a new era for the next generation.”
“John and Pauline Gandel are among Victoria’s most generous and passionate philanthropists. Over the years Gandel Philanthropy has quietly contributed tens of millions of dollars to support a range of charitable causes.”
“We cannot underestimate the importance of providing quality and engaging environments for young minds – and this new Gallery will be a space that all Victorian children can benefit from and enjoy.”