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Great philanthropists
Patricia McDonald: Education pioneer
Patricia McDonald started working at the AM in 1953 when she was 24 years old. She continued to develop education programs for the AM for the next 35 years — her whole working life.
Her original office was a room in a tin shed with no water or power, however under her leadership, the AM developed a number of ground-breaking education initiatives that have influenced how museums around the world, including the Museum In A Box® program and production of educational films for schools.
AM Director, Kim McKay AO, said its educational programs “would not be what they are today without the ground-breaking work of Patricia McDonald, a true education pioneer.”
To this day Patricia’s legacy continues with over 150,000 students taking part in AM onsite, online and outreach programs each year. When Patricia passed away on 11 November 2018 at the age of 89, she left a bequest of $7m in her will to the Australian Museum Foundation for the benefit and use of the AM in support of education programs to nurture future generations of scientists.
As part of its recent redevelopment, Project Discover, new education facilities have been built at the AM, and named the Patricia McDonald Education Rooms. Part of the bequest will also go towards the building of Burra Learning Place (learn more on page 6), which will weave together First Nations knowledge systems with the AM's scientific research to deliver a unique learning space for curious children of all ages.
