Brian Oldman – Director of the South Australian Museum – ‘Reflections from the Director of the South Australian Museum

Brian Oldman has held senior executive roles in some of London’s most respected cultural and scientific institutions, having worked in transformative roles at the British Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the Zoological Society of London and Sir John Sloane’s Museum.

Brian commenced at the South Australian Museum in January 2014. The Museum is Australia’s leading research Museum; custodian of the most comprehensive collection’ of Australian Aboriginal cultural material; houses the largest national collection of whales and dolphins and the largest museum collection of opals in the world. Brian has successfully led dynamic programs to increase visitor numbers, linked institutional research to community programs, built collaboration within institutions, developed commercial income streams and overseen successful major developments.

In 2021, Brian was elected as Chair of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors – the peak body of Museum Directors in Australia and New Zealand. In August 2022, after nine years as Museum Director, Brian announced that he would be resigning at the end of year and returning to the UK.