Winnipeg, MB (June 24, 2016): The Manitoba Museum presented its 24th consecutive balanced operating budget to its members and supporters at its Annual General Meeting last night. The Museum’s annual budget for 2015-2016 was $7.4 million. Despite the funding challenges and increased competition in the marketplace, the Museum concluded its fiscal year with a modest surplus of $224,000, which will be reinvested into the award-winning Alloway World Exhibits travelling exhibition investment program. The Museum’s continued financial health is thanks to sound financial planning and significant increases in private sector donations and corporate support. Over the past 12 months, the Museum welcomed 270,304 visitors through its doors, including 89,694 students for curriculum-based programs.
This year, the Museum hosted National Geographic Presents: Earth Explorers in Alloway Hall, the fifth year for its Alloway World Exhibits program. The strength and importance of the temporary exhibitions program has been further reinforced with investment by the Province of Manitoba, the Government of Canada and The Winnipeg Foundation, to the Alloway Hall Expansion and Renewal project which will see Alloway Hall double in size by the spring of 2017.
Additional highlights of the year included the permanent addition of We Are All Treaty People and The Berens Family Collection. These exhibits feature the history of Manitoba treaties and marks the first time that all eight Manitoba Treaty medals have been presented together as a group. The Museum also celebrated the 100th anniversary of some women winning the right to vote with the exhibit “Nice Women Don’t Want the Vote.” This exceptional exhibit is travelling to locations around the province and then to the Canadian Museum of History this fall.
“2015-2016 was a challenging year for the Museum,” says Claudette Leclerc, Executive Director and CEO of the Manitoba Museum. “While it is our 24th consecutive year with a balanced budget, the dynamic marketplace continues to offer new and exciting attractions for citizens and tourists. We are grateful to the staff, tireless volunteers, and generous donors and sponsors who continue to support the Museum. We are committed to preserving and sharing the stories of Manitoba as we embark on the renewal of 42% of the Museum galleries through the Bringing Our Stories Forward project, which will ensure Manitoba’s stories are up-to-date and engaging forall audiences.”
The Museum Board of Governors for 2016-2017 are: Scott Craig, Chair; James E. Cohen, Vice-Chair and Secretary; Bob Brennan, Treasurer; Jeoff Chipman, Past-Chair; Nancy Anderson; Dave Angus; Sangeet Bhatia; Kevin Brownlee; Loren Cisyk; Merv Gunter; Charles Henaire; Marina James; Penny McMillan; Hubert Mesman; Jennifer Moore Rattray; Ken Ross; Claudette Leclerc, Executive Director and CEO (ex-officio); and Kathryn McBurney, Leadership Winnipeg Board Connect Program (ex-officio)
The Manitoba Museum is a charitable, non-profit organization. The Province of Manitoba is its primary benefactor – but the Museum needs to secure 50% of its operating budget through earned revenue and fundraising initiatives. The Museum would not be sustainable without admissions, donations, sponsorship, corporate support, and the invaluable work of hundreds of volunteers.
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