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A vision or an act of vandalism

The Director of the Museum of Victoria, Graham Morris, supported by 
his wife Prue Sanderson, who was instrumental in the drafting of the 
design brief and the short listing of designs submitted for 
competition, continues to promotes his vision for Victoria�s new 
State Museum.

Graham Morris, a former zoological administrator advocates his desire 
for establishment of the "Gallery of Life".

The Gallery of Life, roofed by a 45 metre-high "Blade" at the center 
of the proposed museum is to house a rain- forest, birds fish, 
butterflies and live animals.

This proposal has met with overwhelming opposition not only from the 
community but within the museum itself.
There is considerable concern about this concept and its suitability 
to the museum environment.

The provision of a rain forest, plants and organic matter whist 
suitable for a Zoological Garden is an inappropriate within a museum 
potentially placing at risk the museum artifacts from attack by 
insects and micro organisms.

The design brief for the museum specifies the need to ensure 
protection from insect infestation.  A rain forest without 
bio-diversity, insects and a balanced ecology is not a healthy 
environment.  Animal Liberation activists have expressed total 
opposition to the use of live animals, indicating that it is a 
duplication of what already exists at the zoo.  The museum has no 
track record of caring for live animals and have suggested that the 
use of videos and multi-media would be a use top present information 
about our natural environment and animal habitats.
Whist Mr. Morris continues to promote the concept and benefits of a 
new museum for Melbourne he has failed to articulate why the Museum 
must be located within the Carlton Gardens

All the positive attributes that a museum can bring to the City would 
be equally if not more beneficial if the Museum was relocated and 
constructed on an alternative site.  A site that better serves the 
interests of the City and the museum itself.

The museum should remain in a central location, a site of prominence 
reinforcing the role and function of a Capital City as the centre for 
culture and the arts.  Why has the Carlton Gardens been chosen for 
the site of our new museum?  With a number of vacant development 
sites located within the heart of the City.  each site crying out for 
commitment and development, ideally suited for the establishment of a 
major civic institution, why are we not investing, or strategically 
planning for the long term economic development of our City?

With the number of viable alternatives available why are we 
developing the museum on the out skirts of the City?  With limited 
transport and access and its detrimental impact on the historic Royal 
Exhibition Buildings and the Carlton Gardens we should reconsider.

Our parks are not cheap develop sites.  Our heritage must be 
protected and most of all our cultural institutions and limited 
public assets must be allocated where they can provide the best 
possible benefit and outcome to the City;s future.

Our museum must be the center of community pride not the object of 
controversy and division.

Anthony van der Craats
DEFEND OUR HERITAGE