Natural science collections in Wales are at real risk of deterioration as there are now no subject specialists in museums outside of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales.
For many museums, natural science collections represent a small part of their holdings but collectively they are a significant regional and national resource.
These collections would benefit from a strategic nationwide approach and a new project – a partnership between the national museum, Cymal and the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries in Wales – aims to deliver this.
The Linking Natural Science Collections project will build on the concept of a distributed national collection described in the Welsh Museums Strategy and establish a network of natural science collections.
Specialist curators from the national museum will undertake reviews of natural science collections across Wales.
The project is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund and aims to make these collections more accessible and provide training for curators.
In 2010 the Welsh Government launched the Museums Strategy for Wales. The project will enable the museum sector in Wales to work towards delivering the actions of the strategy including: developing the learning potential of museums; defining the concept of a Distributed National Collection; and providing services that are relevant and sustainable.
The project will make a significant contribution to the long-term future of natural science collections and therefore to their potential to be shared with the public and will lead to a better public understanding of these collections.
One element of this is training for curators who will then be able to better understand and use their collections, and to share their knowledge with museum visitors and users.
The results of the collections review will be made available publicly in an accessible form via an online catalogue; which should enable anyone to locate particular collections or objects.
The project will conclude with a touring exhibition of objects from across Wales.
If you have a natural sciences collection or are interested in knowing more about this project please get in touch.
Christian Baars, project manager, Linking Natural Science Collections in Wales, christian.baars@museumwales.ac.uk
For many museums, natural science collections represent a small part of their holdings but collectively they are a significant regional and national resource.
These collections would benefit from a strategic nationwide approach and a new project – a partnership between the national museum, Cymal and the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries in Wales – aims to deliver this.
The Linking Natural Science Collections project will build on the concept of a distributed national collection described in the Welsh Museums Strategy and establish a network of natural science collections.
Specialist curators from the national museum will undertake reviews of natural science collections across Wales.
The project is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund and aims to make these collections more accessible and provide training for curators.
In 2010 the Welsh Government launched the Museums Strategy for Wales. The project will enable the museum sector in Wales to work towards delivering the actions of the strategy including: developing the learning potential of museums; defining the concept of a Distributed National Collection; and providing services that are relevant and sustainable.
The project will make a significant contribution to the long-term future of natural science collections and therefore to their potential to be shared with the public and will lead to a better public understanding of these collections.
One element of this is training for curators who will then be able to better understand and use their collections, and to share their knowledge with museum visitors and users.
The results of the collections review will be made available publicly in an accessible form via an online catalogue; which should enable anyone to locate particular collections or objects.
The project will conclude with a touring exhibition of objects from across Wales.
If you have a natural sciences collection or are interested in knowing more about this project please get in touch.
Christian Baars, project manager, Linking Natural Science Collections in Wales, christian.baars@museumwales.ac.uk
