78: The Politics of Museums - Kim McKay

The Politics of Everything

With a 40-year career in marketing, communications, and NFP work, Kim has just notched up seven years as the Director & CEO, Australian Museum (AM) – one of my favorite public spaces in Australia. Kim is responsible for strategic planning and management of the nation’s first museum, including a collection of over 21.9 million natural science and cultural objects and specimens.

As the first woman to hold the role in the AM’s 190+ year history, Kim leads the AM’s master planning and has initiated a broad transformation program. This includes overseeing Project Discover, the AM’s $57.5m major transformation of public spaces.

Kim has had a significant international career focused on the environment, marketing, communications, and non-fiction television and co-founded the iconic Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World campaigns in the 1990s.

Museums are such special places but perhaps in a digitally obsessed society, may not be as frequented as they once were. Or are they?

In this episode you will hear:

1. How an international PR, marketing, and NFP career led Kim to be appointed the first female Director and CEO of The Australian Museum.
2. How do modern museums navigate collections and exhibitions to better reflect current views and sentiments such as the First Nations People’s experiences of Australia?
3. Does marketing a Museum differ from other how you would promote other cultural or commercial attraction or form of entertainment?
4. Take away: What your final thoughts on navigating The Politics of Museums?

To connect with Kim McKay AO:

LinkedIn

AM Web site