Opinion
Lax security
The recent burglary at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, is distressing. What you may not know is that in the spring of 1994, thieves broke down the service door at the back of the museum and stole most of a valuable collection of old chronometers. The collection has not been recovered. Why was the service door …
The marbles are as Greek as the Olympics
Should the marbles be returned? Have your say on our online poll The Olympic Games always remind us of our cultural debts to Greece. London 2012 brings his particularly close to home. Which is why the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM) is organising an international discussion to link the Olympic …
Why evaluation doesn’t measure up
Evaluation is a standard part of museum projects. There’s front-end evaluation, which takes place while early ideas for a project are developing. There’s formative evaluation, which typically tests out prototype exhibits. Then, at the end of the project, there’s summative evaluation, which is – well – a little confusing. We are taking a critical look …
Scotland be brave
With the launch of the national strategy for Scotland’s museums this very diverse sector has come together behind a single strategy for the first time. This is vital for our sector to make continued progress particularly in this difficult economic climate where value for money means that every penny is under scrutiny and any funding …
A welcome tax break for MA members
I recently received a welcome tax relief for my individual Museums Association membership subscription – both for this year and several previous years. I had always been put off by the idea of struggling with the forms, however times are now sufficiently tight for me to decided that it was worth having a go. For …