The INSITE November 2015-January 2016 Future Focus issue contains articles about different ways that museums are preparing for future needs with technology, loans, sustainability, diverse audiences and tourism.

Cover: Our cover image is of visitors experiencing an illusion of zero gravity in the Think Ahead exhibition at Scienceworks. Targeting 8-12 year old children, it invites visitors to imagine the future, presenting advances in science and technology that affect the way we live, communicate, travel and play. http://www.museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks

An interview with Seb Chan (page 2)
The Digital Landscape
Developing a museum’s online presence involves more than websites, online collection catalogues, social media platforms and a digital strategy. It necessitates a change in how we think about collections access and the way we engage with audiences. While in transit from New York to Melbourne to take up a new role at ACMI, Seb Chan responded to questions about managing change and developing digital engagement.
Check in on Seb Chan’s blog at: http://www.freshandnew.org

Nell Ustundag (page 4)
Loans and the Impetus for Reform
New regulations governing cultural objects on loan has spurred museums and galleries into a review of their processes and management of international loans. Nell Ustundag picks through some of the issues and signposts some changes in audience behaviour that are currently challenging borrowers. For more about POCOLA visit:
http://arts.gov.au/collections/protection-of-loans

Paul Mong & Warren Doubleday (page 6)
The Ballarat Tramway Museum Goes Solar Powered
Paul Mong and Warren Doubleday explain how the Ballarat Tramway Museum switched to solar to reduce operating costs and gain sustainability. This Accredited Museum is entirely operated by volunteers and is one of only three solar-powered electric tramways in the world.
Visit the Ballarat Tramway Museum at: www.btm.org.au
The Museum Accreditation Program (MAP) has developed a Green Guide for Small Museums and has been running Energy Auditing workshops. Find out more or request a copy of the Green Guide by emailing map@mavic.asn.au

Adrienne Leith (page 7)
Innovation in Museums: The Autism Friendly Museum
With an increasing number of adults and children on the Autism spectrum, Museum Victoria has adopted a project to make visitation easier for schools and families and to make welcome a wider range of audiences.
Melbourne Museum has launched online resources at: museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/visiting/accessibility/autism-friendly-museum/

Brett Dunlop (page 8)
Growing the Future: Tourism from China
The Sovereign Hill Museums Association has survived and grown since 1970 by responding to visitor needs and evolving its business plan. In this article Brett Dunlop describes the programs and promotions that have attracted over 80,000 tourists from China last year.
To find out more about Sovereign Hill visit: www.sovereignhill.com.au

Suzie Gasper (page 10)
Collection Adventures: State Library Victoria Fellowships
State Library Victoria offers an annual round of Fellowships which stimulate a wide range of projects that utilise the Library’s collection. Suzie Gasper picks out some examples to demonstrate the opportunities and creativity unleashed by the Fellowships program for the Library and participants.
For more about the Fellowship program visit: www.slv.vic.gov.au/about-us/fellowships

Mathilde Lester (page 11)
The Victorian Museums & Galleries Forum
The Victorian Museums and Galleries Forum held at Melbourne Museum in September covered a lot of ground from change management to disability access. Mathilde Lester took it all in and shares her view from the benches for INSITE.
View the Forum program: www.mavic.asn.au/forum or see more images from the event: www.facebook.com/MuseumsAustraliaVictoria

Apps & Online
This INSITE column lists some links to websites or apps relating to collections or museum practice. It is compiled for INSITE by the Digital and Emerging Technologies team at Museum Victoria. The items mentioned are information listings and have not been tested or reviewed by the authors or MA (Vic).

Sembl: Creative Connections Game
A game that makes connections between visually-rich objects that has a museum category because “You’ve got heaps of significant stuff.” A museum may also become a premier game host to maximise attention.
http://sembl.net/

Inaugural DX Lab Fellowship
The DX Lab Fellowship valued at $30,000 is a dedicated digital fellowship set up to support the creative and innovative use of the State Library NSW’s collection data. Deadline for applications 12 November.
http://dxlab.sl.nsw.gov.au/dx-lab-fellowship/

GIF it up competition
Trove is participating in GIF It Up hosted by the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and DigitalNZ. They encourage Trove users to take an image they find in Trove, animate it and enter the competition. Closes 21 November, 2015.
http://www.nla.gov.au/node/8535

MCA Articulate
The Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MCA) in-gallery iPad app that presents questions to visitors such as ‘why do we need art?’ and allows them to respond with sketches, text, video and images.
http://www.mca.com.au/news/2014/11/18/mca-articulate/

Hidden Histories by Sovereign Hill
A digital tour that brings to life the perspectives and participation of Aboriginal people on the Ballarat goldfields from 1851-1871.
http://sovereignhillhiddenhistories.com.au/map/desktop/

Hoddle’s Grid: State Library of Victoria
Hoddle’s Grid gives a unique perspective of Melbourne’s central business district through the history of buildings and streets in photographs and pictures.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hoddles-grid-street-history/id844781429?mt=8