Analysis

A ticking time bomb for Scottish museums

The sector is increasingly fragile as lower visitor numbers since Covid and reduced public funding continue to bite. Geraldine Kendall Adams reports

Positive outlook for research in museums

Although museums are realising the value of research in developing their organisations, staff need more support to make the most of the available opportunities. By Simon Stephens

Police and heritage sector partner up to fight crime

The growing threat of burglaries and antisocial behaviour is seeing heritage bodies work more closely with the authorities in an attempt to clamp down

Change is in the air for Northern Ireland’s museums

There is cautious optimism that the new executive will end the sense of paralysis across the sector

Museums experiment with new approaches to admission fees

An increasing number of cash-strapped museums are trying out different models, while dealing with the resulting ethical implications

Keeping an open mind on copyright

There is a groundswell of support for cultural institutions to make out-of-copyright items more accessible in order to stimulate creativity and free expression

Past the point of no returns

It could be a watershed year, following developments in several long-running disputes – despite some less-than-helpful interventions from the government

Cyber security is an urgent priority for the sector

With the fallout from the cyber-attack on the British Library still being felt, museums should act fast to ensure their data is secure

The battle over free speech

The recent furore over Arts Council England’s guidance on risk has raised questions about censorship in museums

Are museums ready for the intelligence test?

Artificial intelligence will have a major impact on how museums work. But how can we maximise these new tools while mitigating against the ethical and practical pitfalls?

It’s time for museums to set their records straight

The high-profile alleged thefts from the British Museum have highlighted the need for the sector to improve the cataloguing of objects in its collections

Heat is on for the sector’s climate commitments

The first UK Museum Cop coincided with a range of pledges about the climate crisis and sustainability, but there is concern that progress is too slow