When the centre opened to much fanfare less than a year ago, politicians from all sides lauded it as a significant place where all Australians could come to learn about the history of democracy.

Built on the site of the old Eureka Centre, the museum was redeveloped thanks to multimillion-dollar contributions from local, state and federal governments.

It houses the remnants of the original Eureka flag, perhaps the most valuable artefact in Ballarat’s history and certainly a drawcard.

However, 12 months on from the opening of M.A.D.E, there are concerns over how it can rein in costs and boost visitor numbers and revenue.

A report to be discussed at a City of Ballarat Council meeting this week paints a pretty bleak future for the centre. 

Council has had to tip in more money to keep M.A.D.E running, after originally contributing $750,000 this financial year to pay its operating costs. 

That figure is now $1.5 million, which M.A.D.E director Jane Smith says the centre needs to function.

The report makes several recommendations on how the museum can cut costs, including closing on Mondays, reducing its marketing budget and limiting the curation of exhibitions.

M.A.D.E has done some good things in its first year of existence, broadening the story of Eureka into a discussion about democracy, however it does have issues which need to be addressed.

Being open 363 days a year may be a great convenience for tourists, however those visiting the centre on a weekday will have seen that it is not always as bustling as some other attractions.

The museum is still in its relative infancy and should be given a proper go at making things work, however council will be concerned that costs do not blow out further.

The report states that if M.A.D.E was to continue in its current form then it would deliver “only a modest benefit to the Ballarat community in the foreseeable future”.

Councillors might debate whether this means changing the focus of M.A.D.E to programming which centres more on Ballarat and Eureka – similar to the old centre.

There should always be a place in Ballarat to celebrate the importance of the Eureka story. Hopefully, M.A.D.E can turn things around to make sure enough people are listening.