Opinion
Jury still out on education review
My colleagues in the Group for Education in Museums (GEM) welcome the Henley Review of Cultural Education. It is seen as a timely and wide-ranging summary of cultural benefit in learning and many of its proposals chime with our values. Including cultural subjects in the national curriculum is valuable, although what constitutes these will be …
How museums can make a difference
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums’ (TWAM) mission has been much quoted in the museum sector. It says: “Our mission is to help people determine their place in the world and define their identities, so enhancing their self respect and their respect for others.” Museums 2020 is the Museums Association’s project that will focus on …
Museums can help address inequality
The South Wales valleys where I grew up were once famed for social and cultural institutions – such as the miners’ libraries and institutes – which nurtured in many young people a desire to learn and broaden their horizons. While many of these positive influences have now disappeared, I believe that museums have the potential …
How to energise local culture campaigns
Since the credit crunch in 2008, I’ve been involved with or observed four campaigns that aimed to save or take over threatened museums and libraries. Even where there have been successes, I’ve seen dips in enthusiasm and cohesion. This is my take on why that happens. When a museum depends on one fund or is …