Opinion

Letters

Gypsy culture has not been ignored I was surprised and rather disappointed to read Jake Bowers’ article about the ‘failure of public museums to represent Gypsy-Traveller history’ (Museums Journal August 2006, p18). Bowers states that ‘in 2005 (he) investigated why public museums, libraries and archives had done so little to represent and celebrate the history …

Roundtable Debtate: Understanding slavery

With preparations already underway for next year's 200th anniversary of the British slave trade, Museums Journal organised a round table debate with leading experts in the history of slavery to discuss the challenges museums face

Talkback: November 2006

Should museums allow pagan ceremonies to be conducted on ancient human remains if the person's religion or beliefs are unknown?

Letters

Are museums ready for the new web wave? James Morrisons’ thoughtful but ultimately unsatisfying piece about online cultural projects (Museums Journal September 2006, p24) raises more questions than it answers. Morrison questions the relevance and value for public money of much of what has been done over the past ten years, but does not suggest …

Letters

Loans help to boost museum links I enjoyed Julie Nightingale’s important article about museum loans (Museums Journal August 2006, p12-15). The news of Alec Coles’s investigation of the topic for the National Museum Directors’ Conference and the Museums Association’s work on the subject is especially welcome. However, it is hoped that this work will take …

Talkback: October 2006

As the Museums and Galleries Disability Association is wound up, will disability issues in museums be sufficiently addressed?

Letters

The value of investment at the Geffrye Sara Selwood’s critique of the Geffrye Museum’s new 17th-and 18th-century displays (Museums Journal February 2007, p46-47) missed the point. These are representations of rooms as they might have been experienced by people at the time, when the panelling and textiles were new and the colours were bright, and …

From where I’m standing

Outreach will be one of the big losers in forthcoming cuts

The insider

Silence please: costcutting in progress

From where I’m standing

The importance of the 23rd should be put in the spotlight

Letters

MLA closure will hit the whole of the UK The proposed closure of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has been discussed in the light of its impact on museums in England but it also has serious consequences for those in the other home countries. Museums and galleries in Wales continue to participate in …

The diary of a national museum director

Part Four