Opinion
Museums need to become public learning spaces
Fresh perspectives can seem a luxury when the immediate concern is with hard choices about what to preserve and safeguard, as public spending slithers down the cliff. So when a small group of us met at the invitation of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council to discuss ideas for the future under the “leading museums” …
Take advantage of the Chinese museum Zeitgeist or miss out
I have just returned from a British Council-sponsored visit of Chinese museums with a group of colleagues from the UK. It was a trip of a lifetime and left me reeling from the number and nature of new experiences – all of them positive. The 21st century is China’s century and the major advances in …
The history of science must be told in our museums
Over the past two decades the landscape of science museums has been transformed by the creation of a fleet of interactive science centres. But this cannot hide the fact that there is much to be done to make the history of science and technology in museums more effective for visitors. Science museums often have a …
MA calls for urgent debate on future of the new Renaissance
The review of Renaissance in the Regions argued for the dismantling of the hub structure, the creation of Core museums, a Challenge Fund to support other larger museums and an enhanced museum development officer network to make sure that smaller museums get help to meet Accreditation standards. The Museums Association (MA) supported the Renaissance review …
Cultural rights of disabled people must be implemented
The delegates of the recent conference, In Touch with Art: International Perspectives on Equal Access to Museums for Visually Impaired People, agreed a unique conference resolution. It calls on governments the world over to implement the cultural rights of disabled people to which they commit to on paper. Held on 13-14 October at the Victoria …
Letters
Supporting small and medium-sized museums Small and medium-sized local museums make up the majority of the museum sector. They survive on small budgets with small multi-tasking staff teams. They are always vulnerable to local budget cuts but are strongly supported by their volunteers and communities. Are they represented by the Museums Association (MA)? You will …