Custodians are vital, now more than ever
Western Australia is a unique, diverse and beautiful place with a rich human and natural history spanning many millions of years.
Today, our State is part of the global human community and changing faster than ever. The future holds many opportunities, but our State is also exposed to the effects of climate change and faces significant sustainability challenges.
The Western Australian Museum is the State’s foremost custodian of Western Australia’s natural and cultural heritage, and a leading authority in history, anthropology, archaeology, earth and planetary sciences, and terrestrial and aquatic zoology. In the face of rapid change, the Museum’s work in scientific research, preservation, education and awareness building is more important than ever.
Connecting people to the stories of our State’s natural and social heritage has been at the core of the WA Museum’s work for over 130 years. The WA Museum ensures that our shared history is remembered, offers insights into the distant past, teaches our children about our precious marine and land-based environment, and showcases the scientific research that will help shape our future in a sustainable way.
Ensuring the WA Museum continues to lead the way
The WA Museum attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and runs numerous education programs. Visitors love the many stories they can discover at the WA Museum sites.
Simultaneously, the WA Museum scientists are working on a broad range of research projects, ranging from biodiversity studies to laboratory-based investigation work, with numerous fieldtrips, research presentations, workshops and peer-reviewed articles each year. The Foundation’s funding ensures that the WA Museum can continue to lead the way in the research, preservation and sharing of knowledge.
By harnessing corporate and private philanthropic gifts, the Foundation is able to support the cultural, scientific and social impact of the WA Museum. The Foundation’s annual grants fund strategic initiatives in key pillars of the WA Museum’s work, going beyond core business activities covered by State government funding.
The Foundation for the WA Museum has been supporting the WA Museum since 1995. In 2023, the Foundation issued the first major grant of the Annual Grant Program, distributing over $500,000 to the WA Museum.
This new Annual Grant Program enables the WA Museum to bring major initiatives to fruition, which would not be possible otherwise.
82%
Agreed visiting the WA Museum sparked their curiosity and made them want to find out more
81%
of WA residents agreed the WA Museum is important for Western Australia
86%
Agree their visit to the WA Museum gave them a sense of joy, beauty and wonder
75%
Agree the WA Museum provides enjoyable and vibrant spaces for visitors
Reaching more people, sharing more knowledge
The Foundation’s Discovery Endowment Fund is a responsibly managed charitable investment portfolio, which is the source of annual grants to the WA Museum now and into the future.
This fund is a true endowment, meaning that it will never be exhausted. It will grow over time to keep pace with rising costs and needs. Through this robust fund, the Foundation can support the WA Museum’s high impact initiatives in perpetuity.
To achieve this, we need to grow the Discovery Endowment Fund as quickly as possible. Donations to the Foundation for the WA Museum are invested in perpetuity and achieve compound growth.
Investing in the stock market is a “cheers and tears” experience. In contrast, investing in the Foundation is a 100% positive experience and one not to miss!
Bryan and Jan, Foundation Donors
The Foundation, the fund and you
In the face of the rapid changes in our environment, time is running out.
The WA Museum is counting on the Foundation’s grant funding to be able to share the stories of our amazing natural environment now, create more awareness of what we are at the risk of losing, and lead the way with scientific research to help solve the challenges of the future. As WA Museum’s CEO, Alec Coles, says “Collections we hold in museums are there to answer questions that we haven’t even asked yet.”
Together, we can ensure the WA Museum, our State’s natural and cultural heritage custodian, can do more, discover more, and share more knowledge about the wonders of Western Australia.
With your donation, you can continue to grow and strengthen the key pillars of the WA Museum’s work year after year. Donate now.
Recent projects supported by the Foundation for the WA Museum
Inspiring a passion for science with Dinosaurs of Patagonia tales
Unlocking hidden stories of our State
Setting young minds abuzz with bee knowledge
Mega(fauna) Diprotodon discoveries
"Doing a wonderful job, have been three times and the look of wonder in my six year-old’s eyes with all the new exhibits each time - you can’t put a price on that but it’s a memory I’ll treasure."
2022-23 Visitor Survey Feedback
"I ... take grandchildren ranging from ages 2 to 8 and they ALWAYS want to go for a visit. They are in awe of this museum and what a museum is in general. Something that was not really the same in the 1950’s. So well done!"
2022-23 Visitor Survey Feedback
"Investing in the Foundation allows the WA Museum to provide greater opportunities for us, our kids and future generations to showcase our beautiful State, people and cultures."
