Wales launches strategy for all its museums
Document focuses on partnership working and effective management
The Museums Archives and Libraries Wales (CyMAL) has published its first museum strategy, which it describes as a “document of action”.
Focusing on partnership working, access, defining a distributed national collection, and the effective management of sites, operations and collections, the strategy aims to bring together the Welsh museum sector.
CyMAL is also changing the way in which it engages with museums in Wales in order to meet the strategy.
Carol Whittaker, museum development manager at CyMAL, said: “My role has changed to look more at strategic advice, rather than day-to-day advice. I am dealing now with issues that affect lots of museums rather than one museum, with the aim of delivering the strategy.”
The document emphasises the value of volunteers to the sector, which John Marjoram, development officer for the Welsh Museums Federation, welcomed. “Half of the accredited museums in Wales are independent and a lot are volunteer run,” he said.
“Historically, it has been difficult to engage with these museums. The strategy supports that section of the community and is trying to get independents on board. This is about partnership.”
Michael Houlihan, director of National Museums Wales, said partnership was at the heart of the strategy. “The national museum has a large number of skills relative to Wales, and it is inevitable that in a small nation, the national museum has a role to play,” he said.
“This articulates that role and the ways that we can help the sector.”
Stuart Davies, president of the Museums Association, said: “It is a strong document that identifies the core issues and prioritises them in a well-structured way, allowing museums of different sizes and resources to pursue similar objectives.
“It is a succinct view and route for museums to follow in difficult times. This should now be held up as an exemplar to the other home nations, which should follow suit without hesitation.”
Focusing on partnership working, access, defining a distributed national collection, and the effective management of sites, operations and collections, the strategy aims to bring together the Welsh museum sector.
CyMAL is also changing the way in which it engages with museums in Wales in order to meet the strategy.
Carol Whittaker, museum development manager at CyMAL, said: “My role has changed to look more at strategic advice, rather than day-to-day advice. I am dealing now with issues that affect lots of museums rather than one museum, with the aim of delivering the strategy.”
The document emphasises the value of volunteers to the sector, which John Marjoram, development officer for the Welsh Museums Federation, welcomed. “Half of the accredited museums in Wales are independent and a lot are volunteer run,” he said.
“Historically, it has been difficult to engage with these museums. The strategy supports that section of the community and is trying to get independents on board. This is about partnership.”
Michael Houlihan, director of National Museums Wales, said partnership was at the heart of the strategy. “The national museum has a large number of skills relative to Wales, and it is inevitable that in a small nation, the national museum has a role to play,” he said.
“This articulates that role and the ways that we can help the sector.”
Stuart Davies, president of the Museums Association, said: “It is a strong document that identifies the core issues and prioritises them in a well-structured way, allowing museums of different sizes and resources to pursue similar objectives.
“It is a succinct view and route for museums to follow in difficult times. This should now be held up as an exemplar to the other home nations, which should follow suit without hesitation.”