Vox pop
What kind of international work should museums be doing?
Jane Weeks, museums and heritage adviser, British Council
“Museums around the world want to work with us because of our innovative approach to interpretation, learning and audience development.
Working internationally brings many benefits: the chance to develop staff skills and knowledge, to view collections from a different perspective, and to develop a broader understanding of the meaning of identity and the role of the museum. And it doesn’t have to be expensive; it could be a relatively simple staff exchange or loan of a single object.
Britain’s history – through colonisation, war, trade and immigration – binds us to the rest of the world. Virtually every museum in the UK has some form of cross-cultural contacts, whether through the collections they hold, the local community or visits by overseas tourists.”
Michael Dixon, director, Natural History Museum, London; chairman, NMDC
“The Natural History Museum is active in over 70 countries, conducting scientific research, collections development, touring exhibitions, capacity building and training, and consultancy services. Science is a global language and doesn’t recognise political borders, so we work internationally as part of our core business.
UK museums are serving a larger global audience than ever because of social, technological and economic changes, although not everyone will experience the museum by coming in through the front door – they may download podcasts or visit a touring exhibition for example.
Our UK audience is curious to know more about the world around them, and this is why museums will seek to borrow objects and work with experts from across the world.”
Sally MacDonald, director, museums and public engagement, UCL, London
“Museums with international collections have a natural starting point for dialogue with source nations, whether it’s about loans, sharing expertise or repatriation.
But museums working with multi-cultural, multi-ethnic communities also have tremendous opportunities to forge those kinds of links. You’ve probably got to find some money for travel, but a lot can be done via Skype and social media.
And it’s the interaction of people, rather than the exchange of goods, that is crucial. Working internationally can confound attributions, overturn assumptions and refocus ambitions. It’s natural, especially right now, that museums are looking internationally for commercial opportunities, but the work should involve a deeper, and more mutual, enrichment.”
David Anderson, director general, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
“Both people and objects are essential for understanding cultures, places, nature and thought. It is vital that we take full regard of the context within which we work.
We should apply the same standards of professional practices, and ethics, to international work as we do when working in partnership with other UK organisations and our own communities. Loans, academic study, acquisitions, special exhibitions, research and staff exchanges must be part of a wider framework for international relations.
The Welsh government (like those of Scotland and Northern Ireland) has its own cultural, educational and economic strategies, and these guide international relationships as well as domestic policy.”