This Monday past I went to the launch of the UK Museums Association’s ‘Museums Change Lives’ vision document. And I will say that as ever, it is nice to hear and read a good few confident assertions of why our work as (museums) professionals actually matters. And it is good to have a large organisation … Continue reading Museums Change Lives (or do they?)
Tag: museums
Social inclusion, integration: Too big a task for interpretation?
Two days ago, I was told by someone calling himself ‘an Englishman’ that I should ‘go back to my own country’. This has left me deeply shaken on several levels, and it is also making me ask some uncomfortable questions about my own assertions and beliefs about the potential of interpretation [1]. Only a few … Continue reading Social inclusion, integration: Too big a task for interpretation?
Museums 2020 and the Public: Not quite in harmony
Last week, the UK Museums Association published the research report into what the public think are the purposes of museums. I’ve blogged about the announcement of the research, and especially the brief for it, here. I was particularly interested in their methodology [1]. My concerns were that the framework established in the brief would … Continue reading Museums 2020 and the Public: Not quite in harmony
Encountering the Sacred: Reflections on the British Museum’s Study Day
I spent today at the British Museum’s ‘Encountering the Sacred in Museums’ Study Day. Museums: Spiritual or Secular? Johnathan Williams, Director of Collections at the British Museum, started the day by making much of the original collector’s intentions, which were apparently to show the divine as captured in objects and to challenge disbelievers by showing … Continue reading Encountering the Sacred: Reflections on the British Museum’s Study Day
Creative Visitor Surveys: An example
I’m a big fan of gathering people’s views and ideas in a creative way. Don’t get me wrong: I’m also religious about doing ‘formal’ visitor surveys. They’re great for capturing evidence and hard data for our decision-makers in an economic fashion, and yes, if we ask the right questions, they will also give us some … Continue reading Creative Visitor Surveys: An example
Enough with the woolly!
In the UK the impact of budget cuts is starting to become evident all around us. The latest issue of the Museums Journal abounds with news of museum closures, staff reductions or reduced opening hours. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is about to become usurped by the Arts Council in England and funding programmes … Continue reading Enough with the woolly!
Museums and Migrants
Buried in a commentary in this month's Museums Journal was a reference to the programmes offered for migrants and refugees at the Victoria and Albert Museum in England [1]. Migrants are more and more becoming part of the social fabric of almost every country around the globe, and certainly in Western Europe and North America … Continue reading Museums and Migrants
Another Highland Clearance?
This month's Museums Journal (UK) reports on the Highland Council's public consultation on, among others, the potential for closing museums to achieve budget savings. There is an air of simplism about how the questions are put to the public that raises concerns over what value - if any - the council assigns to museums. 'The … Continue reading Another Highland Clearance?
Nicole Deufel's Blog 