The Australian Government is committed to preserving and making widely accessible the nation s cultural heritage whether through tangible items such as paintings, books, oral histories or natural history specimens, or intangibles reflected in traditions and habits. The Cultural Ministers Council is the ministerial forum for exchanging views on issues affecting cultural activities in Australia and New Zealand. The Council deals with issues as varied as heritage and library collections, symphony orchestras, regional arts funding, the opportunities presented by online and digital technologies, Indigenous culture, the return of Indigenous cultural property, arts and cultural sponsorship, and international cultural promotion and export. The HCC is a collaborative venture between museums and the Commonwealth Government, State and Territory governments and museums. The AMOL website has revolutionised access to online information on Australia s cultural heritage held by these institutions.
Users can search records by institution, artist or type of object.
Museum Craft section, for people working in the museum sector, which includes a growing body of resources, guides, publications, an Open Museum Journal, and contacts and discussion forums. The Internet and World Wide Web are providing new and exciting opportunities for cultural expression and audience development nationally and internationally. ACN aims to enrich the lives of Australians and the wider global community by promoting online access to Australia s cultures. ACN coordinates and connects Australia s online cultural services and activities to improve and develop access to, and participation in, the country s cultural endeavour, commerce, activities and events. The website is a public access gateway to the rich diversity of Australia s many cultures.