The Shear Discovery Centre in Masterton, managed by the Shear History Trust, traces the history and development of sheep farming in New Zealand, with the main emphasis on wool. The Centre has three-dimensional displays of shearing-shed plant and activities, along with wall and video displays.
Staff:
1 part-time; about 65 volunteers.
Capital/start-up costs:
About $600,000, sourced mainly through local trusts, who contributed to a major portion of the costs, and Lottery Environment and Heritage Committee.
Annual operating budget:
About $66,000, sourced mainly through ‘peppercorn’ rental from Masterton District Council for the property, door fees, school tours, grants, and sponsors.
Key learnings from building and running a museum
Access to expert support and advice is crucial. Most trust members possess expertise in administration and governance, and are ex-presidents of Golden Shears so they have expert knowledge about sheep and wool history.
None in the trust had previous museum experience, so they looked for outside expert support and advice during the planning process. In particular, they commissioned a feasibility study which pointed them in the right direction. They were also supported by volunteers who had experience in museum management and archives.
Completing the New Zealand Museums Standards Scheme gave the trust credibility in the eyes of funders and the museum sector. It proved that they were willing to do the groundwork to ensure the long-term success of the Centre.
The trust is aware that the support of their local council and their community can help sustain the Centre far into the future. Both their business plan and feasibility study were backed up by planning documents commissioned by the Masterton District Council. The in-depth planning
by the trust and the support of their local council contributed to their successful application for funding from the Lottery Environment and Heritage Committee.
In addition, the museum builds goodwill with its community by allowing other clubs, for a small donation, to make use of its premises.
A clear vision helps to ensure that all involved in the Centre know what their focus is. Their vision states that they are to cover a broad spectrum of sheep and wool history, so when they gather oral history they interview people from across the industry, ranging from past champions of Golden Shears to cooks who fed shearers. To date, they have interviewed 60 people and this is an ongoing project for the Centre.
Doing in-depth research and planning is important. For example, the Centre recognises that effective marketing and promotion to city visitors are crucial as they have a rural subject focus.
Advice for those planning a new museum
‘I cannot stress the importance of the volunteer base enough. The real success of the Shear Discovery Centre is our volunteers and without them all the money raised would have been worthless,’ says Laurie Keats, Chairman of the Shear History Trust.