From the days when a curator waxed lyrical about prized objects over some warm cheese and wine to today’s multimedia happenings with professional presenters and bespoke buffets, museum events have certainly evolved. Many institutions now hire out their premises and pack their programmes with themed occasions to bring life to their buildings and collections, improve community links and education projects, and make money. John Holt talks to the party planners about what constitutes a good day out or a happening evening in.
Katie Roberts
Head of events, National Museums Liverpool
This year’s Labour party conference was many things to many people, but to National Museums Liverpool (NML) it was fantastic free publicity because television shows and fringe events featured its waterfront venues and at least one of its iconic frontages in every on-the-hoof political interview.
“While a few of the TV and film companies that come here try to push the boundaries, everyone respects the fact that we are a museum and gallery, and must be careful not to be seen to side with anyone,” says Katie Roberts.
“I sit on the ethics committee and we always find out in advance what a production’s content is likely to be and whether there could be protests or security risks.”
The wide variety of NML’s buildings – from opulent galleries to contemporary warehouse-style facilities – means that just about every client’s event requirements can be catered for, says Roberts.
Fashion house Burberry recently shot pictures and video for its autumn collection, under the direction of photographer Mario Testino, among the sculptures in the Walker Art Gallery.
“They made fibreglass versions of some of the sculptures to ensure nothing was damaged; objects were moved in and out and some doors were taken off their hinges,” says Roberts, who adds that NML’s attention to detail extends to an in-house team of chefs who create bespoke menus for a variety of tastes and occasions.
The Christmas events, for example, are held in the events venue or empty gallery spaces. Fully booked by July, the glittering bashes account for 33% of the events programme’s profits each year.
At a function to mark the reopening of the South End galleries of the Lady Lever Art Gallery earlier this year, the culinary delights were inspired by the objects.
“There were dishes based on Wedgwood Jasperware and Chinese porcelain, 18th-century delights including a rosewater jelly and biscuits with a cameo print on top made from sugar,” says Roberts, who arrived in Liverpool with a business background forged in hosting events in football stadia.
“It was a culture shock, to say the least. The football world is more aggressive and fast-moving, but in museums I have found things happen slowly, with a lot of precautions taken to protect the collections,” she says.
“The galleries’ requirements force you to think creatively, whereas if something was damaged in the football environment, you just painted over it and it would be quickly forgotten.
“Thankfully, curators are more polite than footballers and we’re lucky that we have many here who are open-minded when it comes to income generation. They realise it’s something of a necessary evil to keep the museum doors open.”
Anna McCarthy
Learning officer, visitor programmes, Norfolk Museums
There’s never a dull moment at events staged at Norwich Castle, a medieval adventure playground for visitors of all ages.
“Different areas lend themselves to different events, from the fighting gallery tour that takes visitors high up within the walls to lie in wait for an advancing enemy, to the Shirehall where they follow in the footsteps of the accused leaving their cells to be tried in the courtroom,” says Anna McCarthy.
Events are designed to be fun for the whole family and are immersive experiences that different groups can enjoy in varied ways, she says.
External agencies play a part too, with professional actors, dancers and musicians brought in to add another dimension to interpretation. “It takes away the sobriety of what a formal event might look like,” says McCarthy. The forthcoming redevelopment of the castle’s keep (model pictured above) with a Heritage Lottery Fund grant will add another string to the venue’s bow.
“We asked people what they wanted and many said they felt the place wasn’t enough of a ‘castle’ experience,” she says. “That inspired the Medieval Madness summer programme, which includes fight choreographers showing off their techniques, as well as arms and armour sessions.
“It helps to bring the castle’s defensive past alive, enabling everyone to get stuck into the drama when some of the drier facts are not as engaging on their own. Children are an amazing conduit for parents to learn too. It’s noticeable how a lot of the dads are keen to take part in our knight school and knight club events.”
Alana Marie Almond
Events executive, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent
Originally started 10 years ago as a local living-history event, the annual September function, Salute to the 1940s (pictured), at Chatham Historic Dockyard is now one of Britain’s best-loved time-travelling experiences and an annual highlight in the vintage nostalgia calendar.
“Visitors say it’s like a film set, especially as there’s a second world war destroyer,” says Alana Marie Almond. “Everyone dresses up and gets in the swing of it, so we have to ensure we don’t stray too far from our education and preservation objectives.”
The dockyard also hosts smaller events, from Armistice Day ceremonies to corporate events and weddings. Each year, the trust books a headline act for a day to pull in the crowds, but this year’s scheduled Spitfire air display was cancelled by the Civil Aviation Association in the aftermath of Shoreham airshow accident in the summer, when a vintage jet crashed, killing 11 people.
“We are restricted by safety concerns and the nature of what we are,” says Almond. “We have to be careful about our reputation, respectful of the on-site memorial and mindful of our mission to involve local people as much as possible.”
Next year’s highlight is a 350th anniversary commemoration of the Dutch navy’s 1667 raid on the British fleet in the Medway, with events all along the river, Almond says.
Paula Wrightson
Venue officer, Preston Manor, Brighton
Paula Wrightson began her events career holding wildflower walks in the countryside for a nature and science centre. A quarter of a century later, she’s turned to things that go bump in the night, escorting ghost hunters, paranormal enthusiasts and sceptics around a reputedly haunted house in Brighton.
“In the past, we could employ actors but as we are running on a shoestring now, I’ve had to swot up on different subjects to become a presenter,” says Wrightson, who has seen the nature of her role change a lot over 25 years. “All those years ago, you decided to run something, ensured it was safe and went ahead. Now you fill in so many procedures, risk assessment and consent forms, it feels like a different world.”
She recalls how, in her early days, museums mounted out-of-hours events to enable visitors to enjoy exhibitions and collections in a light-hearted atmosphere, a stark contrast to today’s head-on collision between highbrow and lowbrow.
“It’s all about the cost now, how much you can charge and what income might be generated. We have to make everything affordable, while walking the tightrope between dumbing down and being too lofty.
“On the ghost tours, some people want spooky history, others want an intellectual approach and some simply stand there as if to say, ‘Go on then, scare me’. That’s when it can be more frightening for the guide than for visitors,” says Wrightson, who has yet to see a ghost in the house, which some believe to be haunted by spirits ranging from an excommunicated nun to a phantom pedalling around on a toy tractor.
Judith Maddox
Events manager, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, New Forest
You know you’ve got a winner on your hands when the name of your pet project becomes such a byword for a successful idea that it enters the vernacular.
Earlier this year, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu held its 50th anniversary international “autojumble” (pictured), a get-together that offers thousands of visitors the chance to rifle through motoring memorabilia in search of treasured rarities and elusive spare parts.
“It’s the jewel in our crown and perfectly complements the museum’s activities,” says Judith Maddox. “In fact, the word ‘autojumble’ was coined by our former director Michael Ware and later added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2003.”
Other events held at Beaulieu have been inspired by exhibitions mounted in the museum. These include the Hot Rod and Custom Drive-In Day – one for the dads held every Father’s Day and chock full of vintage motors and live music – and the Supercar Weekend, which developed from the low-key practice of occasionally firing up the more exclusive models in the collection to ensure everything was running smoothly.
“In 2010, we launched our range of ‘Simply’ rallies as a meet-up for car enthusiasts,” says Maddox, who attended training courses at the Emergency Planning College on topics such as managing safety in the exhibitions and events industry, crowd management and crowd dynamics.
“We started with Simply Ford, which attracted 50 cars on a wet day; this year 1,500 showed up. We are still adding new marques as we hope to attract younger enthusiasts by offering them a first taste of getting involved in car events.
“All these events add value financially and to the wellbeing of Beaulieu by bringing life to the museum. Hearing and seeing classic and veteran cars being started and driven around the grounds is as important to us as having a static display of the 250-odd vehicles that tell the story of motoring history,” Maddox says.
Michelle Rennoldson
Sales and events manager, National Railway Museum, York
This month, it’s full steam ahead to the festive period when the National Railway Museum holds its annual Night Train to Vegas Christmas show (pictured).
The show – which features a magician, showgirls, acrobats and stage illusions, casino tables and, inevitably, an Elvis performance – began with one evening in 2013 and has grown to six sold-out nights this year.
The museum’s collection of locomotives and carriages provides an evocative backdrop for all kinds of parties, conferences and corporate events, and while the role of events manager is a rewarding one, the nature of the job means that every occasion comes with unique challenges, says Michelle Rennoldson.
“This is particularly the case when dealing with client budgets and negotiating constraints that come with working in such a venue. Last-minute changes from clients can also be tricky.
“Some clients send an initial enquiry through with just a date and rough idea of numbers. We then build up the event by adding in extras such as entertainment, theming or museum-related activities.
We also work with them to get the best possible menu by arranging complimentary tastings.
“Taking an event from idea to delivery, while making sure clients and their guests have the best experience possible, is rewarding. It’s also great to be able to help contribute to keeping the museum open and the collections accessible, since all the revenue generated from our events is reinvested back into the museum.”
Katie Roberts
Head of events, National Museums Liverpool
This year’s Labour party conference was many things to many people, but to National Museums Liverpool (NML) it was fantastic free publicity because television shows and fringe events featured its waterfront venues and at least one of its iconic frontages in every on-the-hoof political interview.
“While a few of the TV and film companies that come here try to push the boundaries, everyone respects the fact that we are a museum and gallery, and must be careful not to be seen to side with anyone,” says Katie Roberts.
“I sit on the ethics committee and we always find out in advance what a production’s content is likely to be and whether there could be protests or security risks.”
The wide variety of NML’s buildings – from opulent galleries to contemporary warehouse-style facilities – means that just about every client’s event requirements can be catered for, says Roberts.
Fashion house Burberry recently shot pictures and video for its autumn collection, under the direction of photographer Mario Testino, among the sculptures in the Walker Art Gallery.
“They made fibreglass versions of some of the sculptures to ensure nothing was damaged; objects were moved in and out and some doors were taken off their hinges,” says Roberts, who adds that NML’s attention to detail extends to an in-house team of chefs who create bespoke menus for a variety of tastes and occasions.
The Christmas events, for example, are held in the events venue or empty gallery spaces. Fully booked by July, the glittering bashes account for 33% of the events programme’s profits each year.
At a function to mark the reopening of the South End galleries of the Lady Lever Art Gallery earlier this year, the culinary delights were inspired by the objects.
“There were dishes based on Wedgwood Jasperware and Chinese porcelain, 18th-century delights including a rosewater jelly and biscuits with a cameo print on top made from sugar,” says Roberts, who arrived in Liverpool with a business background forged in hosting events in football stadia.
“It was a culture shock, to say the least. The football world is more aggressive and fast-moving, but in museums I have found things happen slowly, with a lot of precautions taken to protect the collections,” she says.
“The galleries’ requirements force you to think creatively, whereas if something was damaged in the football environment, you just painted over it and it would be quickly forgotten.
“Thankfully, curators are more polite than footballers and we’re lucky that we have many here who are open-minded when it comes to income generation. They realise it’s something of a necessary evil to keep the museum doors open.”
Anna McCarthy
Learning officer, visitor programmes, Norfolk Museums
There’s never a dull moment at events staged at Norwich Castle, a medieval adventure playground for visitors of all ages.
“Different areas lend themselves to different events, from the fighting gallery tour that takes visitors high up within the walls to lie in wait for an advancing enemy, to the Shirehall where they follow in the footsteps of the accused leaving their cells to be tried in the courtroom,” says Anna McCarthy.
Events are designed to be fun for the whole family and are immersive experiences that different groups can enjoy in varied ways, she says.
External agencies play a part too, with professional actors, dancers and musicians brought in to add another dimension to interpretation. “It takes away the sobriety of what a formal event might look like,” says McCarthy. The forthcoming redevelopment of the castle’s keep (model pictured above) with a Heritage Lottery Fund grant will add another string to the venue’s bow.
“We asked people what they wanted and many said they felt the place wasn’t enough of a ‘castle’ experience,” she says. “That inspired the Medieval Madness summer programme, which includes fight choreographers showing off their techniques, as well as arms and armour sessions.
“It helps to bring the castle’s defensive past alive, enabling everyone to get stuck into the drama when some of the drier facts are not as engaging on their own. Children are an amazing conduit for parents to learn too. It’s noticeable how a lot of the dads are keen to take part in our knight school and knight club events.”
Everyone dresses up and gets in the swing of it, so we have to ensure we don’t stray too far from our education and preservation objectives"
Alana Marie Almond
Events executive, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent
Originally started 10 years ago as a local living-history event, the annual September function, Salute to the 1940s (pictured), at Chatham Historic Dockyard is now one of Britain’s best-loved time-travelling experiences and an annual highlight in the vintage nostalgia calendar.
“Visitors say it’s like a film set, especially as there’s a second world war destroyer,” says Alana Marie Almond. “Everyone dresses up and gets in the swing of it, so we have to ensure we don’t stray too far from our education and preservation objectives.”
The dockyard also hosts smaller events, from Armistice Day ceremonies to corporate events and weddings. Each year, the trust books a headline act for a day to pull in the crowds, but this year’s scheduled Spitfire air display was cancelled by the Civil Aviation Association in the aftermath of Shoreham airshow accident in the summer, when a vintage jet crashed, killing 11 people.
“We are restricted by safety concerns and the nature of what we are,” says Almond. “We have to be careful about our reputation, respectful of the on-site memorial and mindful of our mission to involve local people as much as possible.”
Next year’s highlight is a 350th anniversary commemoration of the Dutch navy’s 1667 raid on the British fleet in the Medway, with events all along the river, Almond says.
Paula Wrightson
Venue officer, Preston Manor, Brighton
Paula Wrightson began her events career holding wildflower walks in the countryside for a nature and science centre. A quarter of a century later, she’s turned to things that go bump in the night, escorting ghost hunters, paranormal enthusiasts and sceptics around a reputedly haunted house in Brighton.
“In the past, we could employ actors but as we are running on a shoestring now, I’ve had to swot up on different subjects to become a presenter,” says Wrightson, who has seen the nature of her role change a lot over 25 years. “All those years ago, you decided to run something, ensured it was safe and went ahead. Now you fill in so many procedures, risk assessment and consent forms, it feels like a different world.”
She recalls how, in her early days, museums mounted out-of-hours events to enable visitors to enjoy exhibitions and collections in a light-hearted atmosphere, a stark contrast to today’s head-on collision between highbrow and lowbrow.
“It’s all about the cost now, how much you can charge and what income might be generated. We have to make everything affordable, while walking the tightrope between dumbing down and being too lofty.
“On the ghost tours, some people want spooky history, others want an intellectual approach and some simply stand there as if to say, ‘Go on then, scare me’. That’s when it can be more frightening for the guide than for visitors,” says Wrightson, who has yet to see a ghost in the house, which some believe to be haunted by spirits ranging from an excommunicated nun to a phantom pedalling around on a toy tractor.
Judith Maddox
Events manager, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, New Forest
You know you’ve got a winner on your hands when the name of your pet project becomes such a byword for a successful idea that it enters the vernacular.
Earlier this year, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu held its 50th anniversary international “autojumble” (pictured), a get-together that offers thousands of visitors the chance to rifle through motoring memorabilia in search of treasured rarities and elusive spare parts.
“It’s the jewel in our crown and perfectly complements the museum’s activities,” says Judith Maddox. “In fact, the word ‘autojumble’ was coined by our former director Michael Ware and later added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2003.”
Other events held at Beaulieu have been inspired by exhibitions mounted in the museum. These include the Hot Rod and Custom Drive-In Day – one for the dads held every Father’s Day and chock full of vintage motors and live music – and the Supercar Weekend, which developed from the low-key practice of occasionally firing up the more exclusive models in the collection to ensure everything was running smoothly.
“In 2010, we launched our range of ‘Simply’ rallies as a meet-up for car enthusiasts,” says Maddox, who attended training courses at the Emergency Planning College on topics such as managing safety in the exhibitions and events industry, crowd management and crowd dynamics.
“We started with Simply Ford, which attracted 50 cars on a wet day; this year 1,500 showed up. We are still adding new marques as we hope to attract younger enthusiasts by offering them a first taste of getting involved in car events.
“All these events add value financially and to the wellbeing of Beaulieu by bringing life to the museum. Hearing and seeing classic and veteran cars being started and driven around the grounds is as important to us as having a static display of the 250-odd vehicles that tell the story of motoring history,” Maddox says.
Seeing classic cars being driven around is as important to us as having a static display of vehicles that tell the story of motoring history"
Michelle Rennoldson
Sales and events manager, National Railway Museum, York
This month, it’s full steam ahead to the festive period when the National Railway Museum holds its annual Night Train to Vegas Christmas show (pictured).
The show – which features a magician, showgirls, acrobats and stage illusions, casino tables and, inevitably, an Elvis performance – began with one evening in 2013 and has grown to six sold-out nights this year.
The museum’s collection of locomotives and carriages provides an evocative backdrop for all kinds of parties, conferences and corporate events, and while the role of events manager is a rewarding one, the nature of the job means that every occasion comes with unique challenges, says Michelle Rennoldson.
“This is particularly the case when dealing with client budgets and negotiating constraints that come with working in such a venue. Last-minute changes from clients can also be tricky.
“Some clients send an initial enquiry through with just a date and rough idea of numbers. We then build up the event by adding in extras such as entertainment, theming or museum-related activities.
We also work with them to get the best possible menu by arranging complimentary tastings.
“Taking an event from idea to delivery, while making sure clients and their guests have the best experience possible, is rewarding. It’s also great to be able to help contribute to keeping the museum open and the collections accessible, since all the revenue generated from our events is reinvested back into the museum.”