Should Britain stop building museums?

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tjj T
tjj Feb 20, 2018 11:44:15

I don't know whether this is an appropriate forum topic for TMA ... Perhaps.

"A recent government report says that Britain should stop building new museums and focus on the ones it already has. But with limited public funding available, how far can existing museums diversify and grow?"

A thought provoking article from Alistair Brown, Policy Officer at the Museums Association.
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/should-britain-stop-building-museums/

I live in a town with a great archaeological heritage as well as one of the best collections of 20th century art in the country. Problem is its current museum and art gallery is tiny so most of the collection is in storage. There is currently a bid being put forward to HLF for a state of the art new building as opposed to another faction who want to utilise an existing Victorian 'heritage' building. I think I'm probably in the latter.

T tomatoman
tomatoman Feb 20, 2018 13:52:49
Replying to tjj

In my experience the case for most provincial developments seems to revolve around trying to boost the local economy, often based on spurious projections of extra tourist foot-fall. Clearly, any development, whether in a new or restored setting, needs to have a credible commercial case, but I prefer the core justification to be about exposing people to long-hidden treasures or relocation of collections from an expensive London (or Edinburgh) site to an equally viable alternative in the styx.
I'm neutral on whether to build new or restore; the important thing is a valid, well thought-through plan. (The worst case edifice I know of was the Birmingham City Library, built at great expense in 1974 only to be demolished in 2013, once its £188.8M replacement was complete or perhaps the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, opened in 1983, only to be closed in 2016 because of leaking roofs. (I visited just prior to closure and was appalled to see the extent of roped-off exhibition space because of water ingress.) Now the building is being renewed (£66M), part-managed by a committee who presided over the original scheme.

S Sanctuary
Sanctuary Feb 21, 2018 11:31:15
Replying to tjj

tjj wrote:
I don't know whether this is an appropriate forum topic for TMA ... Perhaps.

"A recent government report says that Britain should stop building new museums and focus on the ones it already has. But with limited public funding available, how far can existing museums diversify and grow?"

A thought provoking article from Alistair Brown, Policy Officer at the Museums Association.
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/should-britain-stop-building-museums/

I live in a town with a great archaeological heritage as well as one of the best collections of 20th century art in the country. Problem is its current museum and art gallery is tiny so most of the collection is in storage. There is currently a bid being put forward to HLF for a state of the art new building as opposed to another faction who want to utilise an existing Victorian 'heritage' building. I think I'm probably in the latter.

We have a wonderful museum down here in Launceston (Cornwall) which I'm ashamed to say I only made my first visit to last year. Thinking it would just be filled with 'local stuff' that I arrogantly thought I would already know about, I'd always given it a miss. How wrong I was and have now been back twice more.
The sad part is that on my visits I have virtually had the place to myself and because of this lack of custom, the museum is now totally staffed by unpaid volunteers who are, without exception, furiously enthusiastic retired folk! Without them it would fold - no question!

I suppose you have to be realistic and if, like any other business, you are not attracting Joe Public in, your days are numbered!

We have a great many other attractions in Cornwall that parents prefer to take their kids to these days just to keep them quiet and let's face it, *most* kids see traditional museums as just stuffy old places until much later in life.

L Lubin
Lubin Feb 21, 2018 22:28:06
Replying to tjj

In Plymouth there is a 3 year refurbishment going on in the museum. When finished it will house all the local records as well as the usual stuff and touring exhibitions.

https://plymhearts.org/thebox/