Anyway, after some good meetings last week in Bangor to talk about possible research projects, Wednesday was the Federation of Museums and Galleries in Wales AGM. Much better known as the Fed. Saves a load of oxygen and typing. The most interesting things, apart from the guest speakers was the Contemporary Collections project and "Rhannu".
Contemporary collecting does split the museum world. Not only do people disagree about whether we should be collecting modern items at all (although this varies between institutions), but they differ on what "Contemporary" means. Apparently in some places it means only in the last 10 years, but the Sports project which has been running for the last 18 months or so in Wales used items since 1950. That project, which resulted in a travelling exhibition around the country to highlight contemporary collecting, and for which I was a member of the steering group, was valuable in making heritage people think about collecting modern items (whatever that means). Perhaps a national definition will arise. When it's mentioned most people (non museum folk) often thing of computers and modern electronic gadgets, the objects that define the modern age, that separate generations. The latest project, however, is on Natural History collections. Considering most collections of this type seem to be stereotyped as Victorian collections of stuffed birds and insects on pins this may seem odd, but a contemporary natural collection may tell us more about the environment, climate change and ecosystems as we now understand them. It'll be an interesting project.
Rhannu has a lot of potential - a meeting place, really, for museum professionals throughout the country to swap ideas, information, best (and sometimes not so good) practice and case studies.
The good thing about working in Wales is the networks - there is a very good feeling of everyone in it together, people keeping in touch, support always being there.
Thursday's meeting at Llandudno Museum was an excellent opportunity for people to make known how they felt about the museum and how its future should be shaped. Having just been awarded a contract to work on their collections and train up staff to work in collections management there (for which I must thank again the most excellent Helen Bradley) I'll be a part of the process which will look at the collections. I'll be using the CyMAL Significance Model to highlight the stars of the collection and eventually this will lea to a re-interpretation of the museum's collections. Exciting project, starting next week - can't wait!
The main notable thing about Friday's interview in Scarborough - apart from the fog pretty much all the way between Leeds and the coast - was the presentation that I had to give on an object from the stores and say how I'd use it in a Key Stage 2 education session. There was a choice of 4 objects to choose from, but as soon as I saw them I knew what I wanted to use.
So the main thing I'll remember from Scarborough is a stuffed kakapo. See below.
Still working on the collections at Llangollen Museum, two months of that still to go.
Last word of the day, on contemporary collections. When thinking about technology remember this:
Everyone who has ever lived, lived in the Modern Age.
