Overview
Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image isn't content with being the country's only museum of its type — it wants to become one of the world's top screen-centric spaces as well. And, thanks to a $31.6 million boost in funding, the Federation Square facility is a step closer to making that dream a reality. ACMI will undergo a massive revamp which will see the centre close down for nine months from early 2019.
Announced by the Victorian Government today and set to form part of the state's 2018/19 budget, the extra cash will be used to overhaul ACMI's permanent exhibition — that is, its year-round showcase of screen items and artefacts that runs alongside its short-term blockbuster displays (like its current Alice in Wonderland exhibition). Also on the agenda is a new technology fit-out, upping the facility's immersive and interactive capabilities, as well as an expanded learning centre for schools and students. Plus, ACMI will gain two new labs: an audience lab, where screen industry folks can test out their films and ideas, and a digital preservation lab to highlight both film and digital content.
"The renewal will transform ACMI into a leading global museum of the 21st century — expanding its reach and impact, and matching visitor experiences to the very best museums around the world," said ACMI CEO Katrina Sedgwick.
Expected to be completed by the end of next year, the project will cost more than $40 million in total, with the government previously allocating $5 million and the rest to be raised from donors. The revamp will mark ACMI's biggest change in its 16-year history — and no, transforming into a zany Tim Burton playground, a huge David Bowie tribute and taking patrons down the rabbit hole to Wonderland doesn't count.