ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 200, 21 May 1936, Page 13

ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS

Australia and New Zealand IDEAS EXCHANGED AT CONFERENCE Dominion Special Service. Auckland, May 20. Much value is attached to discussions held in Melbourne recently as to the methods of extending the educational activities of art galleries and museums in Australia and New Zealand by three of the four Dominion representatives, Messrs. John Barr and Gilbert Archey, of Auckland, and Dr. W. B. Oliver, of Wellington, who returned by the Wanganella. The fourth delegate, Dr. R. S. Allan, of Christchurch, will return later. The conference, it was explained, was called by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and was attended by directors of art galleries and museums from al] parts of Australia and New Zealand. Full advantage was taken of the opportunity of exchanging ideas, and many useful suggestions were discussed. With the object of securing closer co-operation it was decided to form an Art Galleries and Museums Association of Australia and New Zealand, and Messrs. Barr and Archey were elected to the committee to draw up a provisional constitution. Conferences would be held by the association as frequently as possible. Opinions were expressed at the conference that the educational work of museums should be extended in schools by means of lectures, cinematograph films, and the loan of cases of exhibits. It was also thought that school children and adults should be brought more into the museums and given greater interest. That could be achieved by giving them something to do in the museum. Other suggestions were that there should be more co-operation in the writing of popular pamphlets and that there should be an extension of popular lectures both in the museums and outside.

A tentative scheme had been put forward for making the art of the two sister Dominions better known to each other. It was suggested that an attempt should be made to secure a collection of Australian pictures, paintings and drawings for exhibition in New Zealand, and a collection of New Zealand art for display in the Commonwealth. Improved arrangements had also been made for dates and itineraries of the British Art Doan Collection Society’s collections.