WFFMM-NAAM Conference 2021

LIVE-STREAM FROM AUSTRALIA. The Bay to Birdwood is a hallmark example of mass participatory citizen-centered museum activity. Since 1980, on the last Sunday of September, veteran, vintage and classic vehicle citizen-collectors and enthusiast gather in a public park in the bay area of Adelaide, South Australia. They assemble and mingle and connect with each other as up to three thousand public spectators gather at the start. The cavalcade of historic motoring – up to 1750 vehicles – then wends its way through a 76 km route through the city and inner and outer suburbs of Adelaide – being waved on by up to 90,000 spectators lining the route. It makes its way to the foothills of Adelaide and then the 30 km hill climb journey through the Adelaide Hills and to the northern hills township of Birdwood, which is the location of the National Motor Museum of Australia. They then reassemble for a full day of celebrations that attracts up to 10,000 spectators. In the presentation Paul will touch on the history of the event, its growth and its current challenges and how we are repositioning the event to ensure it attracts new and future generations of enthusiasts thrives into the future. Paul will develop these ideas further and also explore the notion of dynamic visitor engagement in displays and exhibitions and I will also create a provocation for attendees at the conference that suggests that unless museums meet the expectations of future generations as engaged visitors to our museums, museums themselves will become history!