Knowledge Exchange Workshops
To support the use and maintenance of natural science collections throughout the UK a series of toolkit blogs for non-science and generalist curators will appear on the blog page on the subjects:
- Handling objects: research and learning
- Risk
- Encouraging clinical access
- Using collections strategically
- The value of social media
- New ways of engagement with mass audiences
These natural science toolkits will be authored by a variety of natural science professionals (e.g from collections managers, curators, learning, digital, research) and the content formed by six knowledge exchange workshops held between March – December 2014, covering each subject above. The workshops will include attendees from ten museum partners and organisations (details on the About Us page) and cover three sectors: museum, science and art.
The aims of the workshops are to:
- Retain and share knowledge and expertise in the sector
- Share toolkit blogs on appropriate subjects to a UK wide audience
- Create an informal support network
- Create a cross-discipline model where UK museums have come together to share knowledge and expertise (science, art, social media, curatorial, administration, students, collections, learning and research)
- Strengthen peer links throughout UK museums
- Provide a space through collaboration for qualitative informal learning
- Foster long lasting mentoring relationships
The workshops are funded and supported by: the Natural History Museum; Arts Council England; Grant Museum of Zoology, UCL; Hunterian Museum at Royal College of Surgeons, London; Manchester Museum; Oxford University Museum of Natural History. They are also supported by the active engagement of the participants from Birmingham Museums Trust, Collections Trust, Kings College, Leeds Museum and Galleries, London, Museum of London, National Museum Wales, National Museum Directors’ Council, Tate, London, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, and Queen Mary’s College, London.
If you would like to know more please contact Julie Reynolds at collectionsforall@nhm.ac.uk