Opinion
Disposal is key to a healthy museum
More than 10 years ago, I published an article in Cultural Trends about a research project I had undertaken as part of my Clore Leadership Fellowship. I was concerned that museums were continuing to increase their collections, while complaining that stores were full. Object disposals were still relatively infrequent, partly because justifying them seemed based …
Editorial | Digital initiatives must not repeat past errors
As awareness of the huge impact that digital technology can have on museums and their work to engage the public increases, alongside an understanding that the focus needs to be on the impact of this work, not on the technology, there have been several recent initiatives designed to support and develop digital capacity. The Digital …
What does the new migration policy mean for museums?
The government is a poor judge of what counts as 'skilled' work
How can people affect change when they aren’t in a leadership role?
Thanh Sinden is a cultural consultant and the chair of Museum Detox; Pip Diment is the acting head of exhibitions at Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales) Dear Pip: Everyone, no matter their position, can affect change. It starts with noticing what’s missing or could work better, as well as understanding your purpose in your organisation …
The policy column | Addressing the power struggle
When deciding the theme for our annual conference, we work with colleagues in the host nation to take stock of what’s happening in the wider world and look at how museums are responding. For this year’s conference in Edinburgh, we’ve looked at the huge amount of change in the UK over the past five years, including …
Trust and shared understanding about the value of cultural diversity is vital
One wintry day towards the end of my secondment at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), I was in The Past is Now, an exhibition that explored Birmingham’s role within the British empire, when I spotted a petite woman quietly studying the exhibition. As she turned around, I realised that it was Rita McLean, the …
The answer to diversifying museums is already there, outside our doors
Birmingham Museums has been working hard to diversify its staff, programming and audiences. We have had successes in increasing the representation of the people of Birmingham and their stories within our programmes and collections. Our workforce has had black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) managers, senior managers and trustees. We have won awards and recognition …
Digital | New voices
Staff-led podcasts offer a twist on the usual museum podcasts, as they showcase the favourite stories of those working behind the scenes, especially those who are less confident or unlikely to be heard often. Whether it is an anecdote about a museum object, exhibition, community project or outreach activity, pressing “record” on your staff and …
Editorial | Bold delivery needed for new ACE strategy
Arts Council England (ACE) unveiled its new 10-year strategy, which has the slightly underwhelming title of Let’s Create, just as Museums Journal went to press, so there will be more analysis of the document in our next issue. The introduction by the organisation’s chair, Nicholas Serota, begins with a tribute to the power of We’re …
The policy column | Museums are needed more than ever
As the dust settles after the general election many people who work in museums will be wondering what the next five years holds. Of course the Museums Association (MA) has no crystal ball, but one thing is certain – that more uncertainty is the order of the day. The big challenges include Brexit, the economy, …