Ongoing confusion over the name of Devonport’s Bass Strait Maritime Centre has prompted a proposal to rename it the Bass Strait Maritime Museum.
The Devonport City Council will consider the change at its meeting on Monday, following a July 2023 report that found the current name to be “confusing, ambiguous and detrimental” to the facility’s core purpose.
According to a council report, many locals and visitors mistake the centre for a shipping authority, boat retailer or marine services provider rather than a museum.
Staff report regularly hearing comments like “I’ve lived in Devonport for 30 years and I didn’t know we had a museum” and “Oh, I thought this was just a cafe”.
The confusion is also affecting online visibility, with potential visitors searching for “Maritime Museum” or “Museum” unable to find the facility.
Opened in 2013, the facility holds heritage collections valued at $1.2 million, with a strong focus on Bass Strait’s maritime history.
“Replacing the word ‘Centre’ with ‘Museum’ will have minimal impact on branding and associated costs”, the report states, noting both words have six letters, allowing them to be swapped within existing designs.
The plan involves a four-phase approach beginning with a website relaunch in mid-2025, followed by gradually updating promotional materials as they need replacement.
