I have been asked to research successful ways of setting up an historic site as a research based interpretation centre. I would be grateful if anyone with experience of archaeologically based interpretation centres could send me details such as:
how they are set up as an organization? how was initial development money sourced? how are continued operations sourced? and how successful are they in terms of visitors numbers, direct income generated and indirect benefits to the region? Basically what has been found to work and what does not work

The reason for the query is that archaeologists in Western Australia are about to start a campaign to prevent Cossack from being developed as a housing estate. Cossack is an abandoned port in our northwest, it was the frontier port for the region and the birthplace of the northwest pearling industry which is now better known from Broome. The whole townsite which consists of half a dozen stone buildings and a mile of urban archaeological sites has been listed on our state Register of Historic places since the register was first compiled. The stone buildings has been conserved and will be retained in the proposed development but most of the value of the place is in its archaeology. 

We feel that we have little chance of success if we just run a negative campaign stating the site should not be developed. Our hopes pin on demonstrating that there is a better use for an important archaeological site then putting housing.on it. 
We propose that the Pilbara Development Commission and other stakeholders develop Cossack and the four settlements and airport situated close by as a gateway to the rest of the Pilbara. Within this gateway region Cossack would be developed as a research based archaeological interpretation centre acting as the major drawcard to attract tourists to the region.

However, to effectively sell this idea to the Commission, the local Council, government and Pilbara businessmen we need to set out how this can be accomplished and hopefully demonstrate that such an idea has been successful elsewhere. There are funding sources that a centre could draw on if it was set up, The National Trust has set up a tax deductible scheme for Cossack, an endowment scheme could also be set up and such a project is likely to secure funding from the Pilbara iron ore mining companies particularly as they can get a 100% tax deduction on money donated to the National Trust scheme. 

I welcome any ideas anyone has to help get this idea off the drawing board into reality. 

Regards Gaye