Letters: July 2009

Museums have a vital role to play in a sustainable economy

In a recent publication, Prosperity without growth?, for the Sustainable Development Commission, a connection is made between museums and the transition to a sustainable economy.

This transition, according to the author, Tim Jackson, depends on a redefinition of 'prosperity' from one based on growth and consumerism to one based on sustainability and human/social capital.

Museums, along with public libraries, parks and green spaces, are clearly identified as a means of strengthening the capital of human wellbeing on which a sustainable economy will be built.

Meanwhile, in the Museum Association's report on the Sustainability and Museums consultation, we are told that "museums are deeply involved in sustainability and yet rarely think about their overall contribution to it".

This is not surprising. As Jackson fully acknowledges, material wealth is entrenched in our culture as the general measure of prosperity.

Having been driven by growth and consumerism to the very edge of the abyss, governments have responded by stimulating more growth and consumerism. Museums can hardly be blamed for missing the point.

Nevertheless, for those who care to treat it as more than just bedtime reading, Jackson's prognosis for the economic future is increasingly difficult to argue with, and this is not the first time recently that influential voices from outside our sector who are concerned with sustainability have identified a potentially transforming role for museums.

The MA has made a valuable start to generating our understanding of museums and sustainability. Others seem to think that we can do more than just respond to the future scenario, and actually play a role in creating it. Do we think we're ready for that?

Peter Stott, principal officer heritage and learning, Falkirk Council Cultural Services, Falkirk


At Bristol

David Bishop's letter about the service review at Bristol's Museums, Galleries & Archives is misleading and inaccurate. He says that "the strategic review aims to strengthen museums in Bristol and is not financially driven", that the new Museum of Bristol will cost £24m and that this is the right time to be developing a new community engagement team.

The city council's own website says that the new museum will cost £26.5m - £2.5m more than Bishop claims. Either there is horrific inflation or Bishop does not know what his own museum will cost, which is worrying.

The new museum is years behind schedule and costing millions more than the £10m estimated in 2002. It also incurred £600k of avoidable extra costs in 2007 because of lamentable project management.

The constantly rising project costs and the desire to cut staff are the factors behind the strategic review. Bristol's collections are at risk because of poor management and ever-escalating expenditure.

George Blythe, Bristol


Practice makes perfect

I was disappointed with the tone of the Green Watch review of the British Museum's Going Green conference. While Helen Wilkinson was happy to report on papers that offered strategic visions or discussed the need to revise policies, she found the detailed papers tedious.

Finding a paint that is both ecologically friendly and safe to use with collections, sorting paper waste prior to recycling, or comparing the energy consumption of different environmental control systems, may seem dull to your projects officer, but by working out details of that kind we make ourselves able to lay the foundation for changing to sustainable materials, improving the efficiency of recycling and reducing the carbon footprint of museum environments without compromising the care of the collections.

My own assessment of the conference was that it provided lively evidence that the conservation community had moved on from policy making and pronouncements.

Many of the speakers were grappling with the issues that need to be resolved if we want to balance stewardship of our collections with stewardship of the planet on which those collections are located. To make this happen, we need more information, not less.

Jane Henderson, tutor in conservation and collections care, Cardiff University


Nationals know best?

Is Peter Armstrong seriously suggesting that, by lending to London, the Leeds Armouries have single-handedly reversed the so-called cultural trend that big loans traditionally only come from London nationals to the poor barren wastelands of the north?

The Leeds Armouries is a national, and all it has done is in effect lent objects back to itself, the Tower of London being a satellite of the Royal Armouries.

To claim it has bucked the trend is bending the truth a little, and reveals Armstrong is seriously ill-informed about the ability of non nationals to lend effectively. Derby Museum and Art Gallery holds the greatest collection in the world of paintings by the 18th-century artist Joseph Wright and constantly engages in regional, national and international loans large and small, and has been doing so for many years.

We are not a national; we are run by a local authority, and I am sure are not alone in having a healthy loans programme. To suggest otherwise reinforces the attitude that nationals know best.

Mike Galer, senior keeper of military and social history, Derby Museums and Art Gallery, Derby

Regional nationals

I read with interest the piece on national-regional partnerships. I was, however, a little surprised by the statement that the Royal Armouries Museum is the only national museum to have its headquarters outside London.

The headquarters of the National Coal Mining Museum for England, for one, is only 11 miles away from the Royal Armouries in Leeds, and National Museums Liverpool is just the other side of the Pennines. Like the Armouries, both museums are substantially funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

And then there are the national museums in Wales and Scotland. I assume that the piece is referring to large English national museums established by statute, but there are more national museums around the UK than is perhaps appreciated.

ML Faull, museum director and company secretary, National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield


The monochrome set

It was fascinating to read the views of the panel of experts on temporary exhibitions in the last two editions.

However, I did find the black and white photos of the participants completely out of character. Has the journal become a moody movie mag all of a sudden? I thought I was looking at a catalogue for windows and cupboards with the cut-off heads of Ernst Vegelin and Nick Dodd tucked in the corners as soft decorations.

And please, why does Ken Arnold insist (in your June issue): "Why isn't there a temporary exhibitions curators' group that meets?" There is. It is called the Touring Exhibitions Group.

Hamish MacGillivray, freelance museum project manager and researcher, Brighton