Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
 | |
 | |
| Established | 1981 |
|---|---|
| Location | Darwin, NT, Australia |
| Founder | Colin Jack-Hinton |
| Director | Marcus Schutenko |
| Website | www |
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) is the main museum in the Northern Territory. The museum is located in the inner Darwin suburb of Fannie Bay. The MAGNT is governed by the Board of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and is supported by the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory Foundation. Each year the MAGNT presents a dynamic program of both internally developed exhibitions and the travelling exhibitions from around Australia. It is also the home of the annual Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Australia's longest running Indigenous art prize.
History
In 1964 a bill was introduced into the Northern Territory Legislative Council to start a museum in Darwin by making the Museums and Art Galleries Board of the Northern Territory.[1] The first director, Dr. Colin Jack-Hinton, was appointed in 1970. The Old Town Hall in Smith Street in Darwin's CBD was chosen as the Museum's first location. The museum contained Southeast Asian and Pacific culture, maritime history, natural sciences, Indigenous culture and contemporary art.[2] Before Cyclone Tracy in 1974 the Old Town Hall was almost complete from renovations. The cyclone caused major structural damage to the building and a portion of the art collections were damaged. The salvaged collections were put in rented space scattered around Darwin.
On 1 July 2014, the MAGNT became an independent statutory body.[3]
Facilities
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Darwin
It was not until three years after Cyclone Tracy that in 1977 the Commonwealth Government approved construction of a new museum at Bullocky Point in the suburb of Fannie Bay. Construction commenced on the new museum in 1979 after the Northern Territory was granted self-government, and funding for the new building was confirmed.
The building was opened on 10 September 1981 by the Governor General of Australia and was known as the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences. The museum featured the history, science and visual art of the region and its people. An extension was built and completed in 1992 to display the Northern Territory's maritime history. In 1993 the name of the museum was changed to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
Fannie Bay Gaol
The MAGNT manages Fannie Bay Gaol, a historic gaol in Darwin.
The Chan Building
On 16 June 2015, the Northern Territory Government announced plans to refurbish the historic Chan Building in the centre of Darwin, as a world-class visual arts museum to be managed by the MAGNT. Northern Territory architects DKJ Projects and Sydney-based firm Fender Katsalidis Mirams architects successfully won the tender to design the refurbishment which is expected to cost $18.3 million. The redevelopment has been controversial due to increasing costs and government approval processes.[4]
Collections
The Territory's art collection consists of over 30,000 items of art and material culture.[5] Famous exhibits include the body of Sweetheart, a crocodile notorious for attacking boats.
See also
External links
References
- ^ "Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
- ^ "Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory at Totaltravel". Retrieved 23 February 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY ACT 2013". Australasian Legal Information Institute. University of Technology Sydney and Universtity of New South Wales Faculties of Law. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- ^ Zillman, Stephanie; Dias, Avani. "Chan building redevelopment: Architect raises concerns about cost, design". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- ^ "Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Collection". Retrieved 23 February 2008.
12°26′15.12″S 130°49′59.22″E / 12.4375333°S 130.8331167°E
 | This article related to a museum in Australia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This Northern Territory, Australia article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |