SERVICES

MUSEUM ACCREDITATION

Policies and Plans

If you are working towards museum accreditation for the first time, would like a diagnostic review of your existing documents or simply lack time to update a suite of documents or a particular policy or plan, we can work together. This service is tailored to small and medium sized independent museums and local authority museums. My core specialism relates to ‘Users and Their Experiences’, in the accreditation requirements but I have written other sections too.

LEARNING

Learning Audits, Strategies, Plans, Evaluation, Training, Resources

Whether you want to take stock of your existing service, refresh a particular learning programme or measure the impact on participants, I can develop:

• A Consultation Plan culminating into a Consultation Report capturing stakeholder and visitor viewpoints.

• An Activity Plan, informed by consultation to meet National Lottery Hertiage Fund requirements.

• A Museum Learning Strategy and Plan which sets out the context, aims and objectives of the museum’s engagement ambitions.

• A Learning Audit Report which provides a concise overview about your learning service or programmes, its strengths and weaknesses, along with recommendations for development. 
  

• An Evaluation Report capturing learning outcomes for programme participants using qualitative or/and quantitative data.

• Creating workshops for learning programmes and training the workforce on delivery.
  

• Developing resources for educational sessions.
  

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Research, Consultation, Audience Plans

This multi-staged service can include auditing current provision for existing audiences, with a view to widening the offer to target key audiences; consulting with museum stakeholders; analysing visitor/user feedback and engaging with non-users you want to prioritise by understanding perceived barriers to engagement. This research would be analysed to inform priorities, resulting in an achievable plan with measures and targets. Some of the following can be stand-alone pieces of work attuned to your budget:

• Consultation Report
  

• Community and population profiling
  

• Relevant tourist opportunities
  

• Local and national strategies
  

• Stakeholder meetings
  

• Focus group engagement
  

• Analysing visitor feedback
  

• Surveying non-users
  

INTERPRETATION

Interpretation Plans, Historic Research

A key development tool in ensuring that your museum provides your visitors with a rich, memorable experience, starts with creating an Interpretive Plan. This framework enables the museum to showcase the collections or heritage site and convey the unique stories that appeal to diverse audiences. It includes research that leads to a greater exploration about which narratives to adopt and the best engagement method to make with the aim of enhancing the visitor’s experience. Also, check out my Engagement and Training Services.

ENGAGEMENT and TRAINING

Tour guiding, Trails, Storytelling, Handling Collections, 1st Interpretation

If you want to engage creatively with your audiences about your collections, historic sites or past personalities, then I can coach you on practical skills, engagement methods and common pitfalls associated with developing new programmes. I can also work with you to review or create new engagement activities or develop training guidelines.

RESEARCH

Case Studies, Archive, Historical and Social Research

Research services can aid heritage inspired learning programmes, content for exhibitions, on-line presentations and object labels. Archival and historical research can provide a solid foundation for understanding the past. Research can also support museum strategies, identifying trends and best practise case studies.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Audits, Volunteer Handbook

Stand-alone volunteer documentation or a full handbook can be produced as well as completing workforce audits to review strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for development and investment.

• Staff or Volunteer Audits
  

• Volunteer handbook, encompassing volunteer policy, agreement, roles and training plans
  

• Training volunteers
  

• A review of the trustee board
  

COLLECTION PROJECTS SUPPORT

Accessioning, Cataloguing, Co-Curation

Short term collection support for local museums, normally dependent on volunteers, includes:

• Refreshers on best practices in packaging collections, transporting collections, accession procedures and preventative conservation.
  

• Cataloguing collections (ADLIB or MODES database)
  

• Exhibition management and co-curation