Successful networking with Other museums

Cairns Regional Museum

Successful networking with other museums

Kowanyama has visited a number of museums in Australia and the United States. Visits include activities like the return of cultural objects, the sharing of knowledge and experiences, getting technical advice and looking for ideas. Establishing networks amongst mainstream museums and indigenous cultural centres is important, for the continued development, ongoing successful operation of the Kowanyama Culture and Research centre and the maintenance of the Kowanyama Collection. We still have a way to go yet. Future opportunities will be available for staff training and experience when the Cultural Centre has some full-time permanent staff. It is hoped that future school students showing a keen interest in cultural studies can be supported by the growing museum network. Staff of the Museum of the American Indian, that is a part of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC in the United States, showed very early interest in supporting Kowanyama attendance at Museum training workshops for Native American community participants. The offer was not taken up at the time, but illustrates exciting opportunities for our future staff. All of our international activities are on hold because of the impacts of the COVID 19 Pandemic upon us all. The QLD Police Museum in Brisbane has offered advice on police objects being acquired for the Kowanyama Collection. Warren Flegg, the local Policeman and his colleagues of the QLD Police Weapons Section were a great help in our getting a valuable rare 1860’s Tranter revolver from the United Kingdom for the Jardine Collection in Kowanyama Collection.