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Toitu Otago
Settlers Museum Board
22 February 2017
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Reports
Toitu Otago Settlers Museum
Activity Report
Department: Toitu Otago Settlers Museum
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 This
report covers the activities of Toitu Otago Settlers Museum (TOSM) for the
period 1 November – 31 December 2016.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Committee:
a) Notes the
Toitu Otago Settlers Museum Activity Report.
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BACKGROUND
2 Not
Applicable.
DISCUSSION
Visitation
3 Visitor
numbers remain strong during 2016/17, with over 148,327 visitors by the end of
December 2016. There was especially high visitation in December 2016 when
Pixie Town was open. Visitation during this period was up by 6.6% compared with
the previous two years.
4 Visitation
to the Chinese Garden continues to increase. In December 2016, visitation to
the Garden was 4,055, up by 845 visitors (+26%) on the visitation in December
2015. Visitation in November 2016 was up by 445 visitors (+15%) on the visitation
in November 2015.
Financial Summary
5 The
financial results below are for the period ended 31 December 2016 and include
the operation of both Toitu Otago Settlers Museum and the Dunedin Chinese
Garden (DCG).
6 The
net result for the six months to December 2016 was $178k favourable.
7 The
financial result for Toitū
Otago Settlers Museum was in line with expectations.
8 The
Dunedin Chinese Garden financial position was $1K favourable as at December
2016.
summary of activities
Enquiries
Research centre enquiries
9 The
Research centre continues to receive a high number of enquiries from the
public. During November and December 2016 the research centre visitor hosts
received a total of 4,444 enquiries. Archives also received a total of 236
enquiries for the period with 100 of these being new contact – reader
enquiries. Enquiries include visitors, phone and email enquiries.
Visitor Experience
Exhibitions and Displays
10 Pixie
Town was the key focus for the Visitor Experience team in December. The
interpretation information was updated, new lighting effects were added and a
new brochure was created to explain the history of Pixie Town. Santa
photos and Christmas Craft activities were very popular and the help from the
Otago Settlers Association volunteers and Otago Girl’s High School
students was greatly appreciated. TOSM remains a very popular Christmas
destination for both locals and visitors and a total of 22,000 people visited
Pixie Town this year.
11 The Puketeraki
pou in the Kai Tahu gallery has three fish hooks on display as the toki and
kete in this case were changed out in December 2016.
12 The Visitor
Experience team continues preparation for the next exhibition in the temporary
gallery, Sketched in Stone which studies the history of Lithography in
Dunedin and opens in later 2017.
Education/LEOTC
13 Over
1,200 students took part in LEOTC programmes over November – December
2016. Primary programmes included predominantly out of town ‘school
camp’ groups. John McGlashan College brought four Year 10 classes for a
full day to create TOSM promotional videos as part of their arts week. All Year
9 students from Otago Girls High visited to develop poems using the Poetick
machine. Teachers gave very positive feedback about programmes run this year
and were particularly interested in behind the scenes tours planned for
2017. The first TOSM education online newsletter was sent out to teachers
in December 2016.
Education Lifelong Learning
14 Eight
pre-school groups visited Pixie Town followed by craft activities and a visit
to Santa. Pixie Town tours were also held for five groups of senior citizens.
These included a curator talk by Peter Read and optional craft activities. A
new Gold Trail activity was developed for the school holidays. The
1970-80s games and dress-ups, also part of the school holiday activities, were
based on the ‘Slice of Life’ Exhibition.
Partnerships and collaborations
15 The
documentary series “The Journey to Lan Yuan” is a work in
collaboration with the Dunedin Chinese Gardens Trust in terms of fundraising
and hosting events. In partnership with the Presbyterian Research, a temporary
exhibition using a selection of their images from China is currently displayed
in the Museum bullnose.
16 Each
year the OSA fund the top second year History student from the University of
Otago to work for six weeks at TOSM. In 2017 Tom Rawcliffe is the intern
working alongside Peter Read on the Twentieth Century timeline research.
17 Tuesday
Club is a monthly collaboration between the OSA and TOSM. The OSA also
contributes financially towards the Pixie Town and Toddler Time events.
18 The
annual Burns Night Dinner is held in January in collaboration with the Dunedin
Burns Club.
19 Robbie
Rocks is an annual music competition where musicians are reinterpreting the
works of Robbie Burns set to modern music. Robbie Rocks is funded by the Burns
Club (audience prize of $250) plus Polson McMillan Lawyers and Royden
Somerville for the winner of the Youth and Open sections to the value of $400
each.
20 Conservation
work on Pixie Town has been undertaken in conjunction with Otago Museum.
21 In
the Collections area, the Conservator has been working with Lincoln University
on scanning the Ramshead Snuff Mull, and the New Zealand Defence Force in
relation to the Scots Colours.
22 Museum
staff are office bearers in the Archives and Records Association of New Zealand
(ARANZ), the New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials (NZCCM) and the
Emerging Professionals Museums Aotearoa.
Collections Management
23 The
Pixie town conservation project was undertaken during this period.
24 Digital
storage needs are being reviewed and discussed with various cultural sector
colleagues and within Council to explore options for a solution to our growing
digital storage requirements.
25 A
significant leak in one of the galleries has required resource, time,
assessment and planning work for the larger team. Lighting and insulation in
the Archives and Reading Room is due to begin in January 2017. An update will
be provided in the next Board Report.
26 The Fire Brigade Restoration Society relationship has been
re-established and this is progressing well. The current focus is the potential
loan of a vehicle to the FBRS and legacy issues.
27 The
photographic portraits continue to be catalogued by volunteers, the records
edited and photographs attached to the record by the Archivist. The diary and
Bible collection cataloguing continues in between orders, visitors, exhibition
and education support, donation and enquiries work.
28 Conservation
activities for this period have concentrated on preparing for Sketched in
Stone, Josephine, Pixie Town, some Smith Gallery and Material Culture gallery
work, as well as regular monthly gallery cleaning, monitoring and reporting.
Commercial Activity
Functions and Events
29 The
Museum and Garden hosted 14 functions including a 50th, a wedding
and two receptions, the Fortune Theatre’s 2017 programme launch and the
launch of the book, “A Passion for Fashion”. In
December 2016, events included the Otago Regional Council and DCC Christmas
events, an ANZ Bank Client Function and a Medical Ball.
Retail
30 December
2016 was a record month for retail, and a record day for the Christmas Shop
event on 14 December 2016. Income increased by $6,029 from December 2015.
Top categories were toys at $8,530, home-wares at $8,298 and books at $5,376.
Sales from the retail evening were $3,328. It is planned to continue with the
Christmas retail evening and a further increase in sales at this event in 2017
is expected. Stock purchase spending is higher in the first six months of the
financial year to match demand
Promotion and Marketing
Media
31 Media
mentions for the period are from the Otago Daily Times with information sought
on WW1 women, Capturing Day in City Life, Crowds carried away by the Pixies,
Plan for Million Dollar Wine and Culture a Tourist Draw Card in the Opinion
section. The Pixie Town media release was mentioned on Scoop.
32 Print
media includes advertising on the Chinese map (going around motels and
activities), retail advertising for Christmas, the Robbie Rocks event and
advertising on the Campus map. Advertising also included NZ Weddings, and the
Fringe Festival programme. The Burns Dinner was included in The Star St Andrews
feature.
33 ‘Pixie
Town’ was promoted on NZME stations (Hits, Newstalk ZB, ZM, Coast) and
MediaWorks stations (More FM, Breeze) during the period 9 December – 24
December 2016.
34 As
of 23 January there were a total of 5,816 likes on the Toitu Otago Settlers
Museum Facebook page (up 115 since 1 November 2016).
Marketing
35 Trip
Advisor (as at 23 January 2017) Toitu Otago Settlers Museum sits at number one
position of 91 things to do in Dunedin. From Trip Advisor:
“A Regular Attraction”
“A
favourite rainy day activity to take the kids to. Our family love learning
about our local heritage and it has been presented sympathetically in the well
laid out venue.
Still enjoy
showing the kids the bus station foyer that was still in use in our youth in
much the same condition as it was the day it was built. Highly recommend a
visit if coming to visit from out-of-town.”
5 of 5
stars – submitted by a visitor from (not stated)
“Amazing
Oasis in the City” Dunedin Chinese
Garden
“I found
this breath-takingly beautiful. It's quite small but feels enormous because of
the complexity of the garden design. There's a 'tea house' where I had tea and
dumplings - the most peaceful meal I've ever had.”
5 of 5
stars – Edinburgh
(Reviews from December 2016)
36 Issue
#3 of the Toitu online newsletter was sent to 2,778 subscribers on 1 December
2016, of whom 46.5% opened and read the publication and 15.3% clicked on
links within articles. Issue #1 of the Toitu Educate online newsletter
was sent to 293 subscribers on 8 December 2016, of whom 59.6% opened and read
the publication and 5% clicked on links within articles.
37 Geo-Zone
Travel App. Over the last 90 days there have been 992 profile page views
of Toitu OSM by visiting tourists to Dunedin using this app. 15,816 users were
recorded within the museums Geo-Zone during this period. Over the last 30 days
the language spoken by those tourists has been largely English (61.13%),
followed by German (21.59%) and French (5.92%).
Dunedin Chinese Garden
38 Events on the Dunedin Chinese Garden in November 2016 included the
conclusion of the Moon Festival Poetry competition, the wine auction to
fundraise for The Journey to Lan Yuan and a delegation from China
receiving a Haggis Ceremony in the Garden. December 2016 was busy with
cruise visitors, school holidays and the usual busy holiday visitors.
OPTIONS
39 This
is an information report only.
NEXT STEPS
40 Not
applicable.
Signatories
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Author:
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Jennifer Evans - Otago Settlers Museum
Director
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Authoriser:
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Bernie Hawke - Group Manager Arts and
Culture
Simon Pickford - General Manager
Community Services
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Attachments
There are no
attachments for this report.
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SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS
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Fit
with purpose of Local Government
This report relates to providing a public
service and it is considered good-quality and cost-effective.
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Fit
with strategic framework
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Contributes
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Detracts
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Not applicable
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Social Wellbeing Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Economic Development Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Environment Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Arts and Culture Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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3 Waters Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Spatial Plan
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Integrated Transport Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Parks and Recreation Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Other strategic projects/policies/plans
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☒
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☐
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☐
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The activities of the Toitu Otago
Settlers Museum and Dunedin Chinese Garden support the Arts and Culture
Strategy while contributing to the Economic Development and Social Wellbeing
Strategies
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Māori
Impact Statement
There are no known impacts for tangata
whenua. The museum consults with and works closely with Kai Tahu through its
Kai Tahu Advisory Group.
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Sustainability
There are no implications for
sustainability.
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LTP/Annual
Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Financial
considerations
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Significance
In terms of the Council’s
Significance and Engagement Policy, the matters in this report are deemed to
be of low significance.
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Engagement
– external
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Engagement
- internal
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Risks:
Legal / Health and Safety etc.
There are no known risks.
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Conflict
of Interest
There is no known conflict of interest.
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Community
Boards
There are no implications for Community
Boards.
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