February Issue 2003

The AIM Bulletin is the main communication channel for the UKs 1000+ independent museums and heritage organisations - half the total provision for the British Isles - which have been in the forefront of the museum movement for over 25 years.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Independent museums’ ability to balance the curatorial and commercial aspects of running their projects provides the focus for AIM’s 26th Annual Conference on 8-10 May at the Bass Museum of Brewing in Burton upon Trent.  With ever-present funding concerns and a wish list of Government requirements, museums are challenged as never before.  Keynote speech will be given by the new chief executive of Resource, the Council for Museums Archives and Libraries, Anna Southall, who will concentrate on the controversial regional hubs proposal.  Museums have reacted with concern at the plan to phase them in after disappointment with the Government’s allocation of only £70 million to regional museums following Resource’s Renaissance in the Regions report Page 1.
  
  
• AIM has reacted angrily to the decision to re-allocate money destined for Designated museums – those with outstanding national collections – to the regional hubs proposed in the report Renaissance in the Regions. The only dedicated funding stream for collections care, the Designation Challenge Fund has been an unqualified success. AIM says it cannot understand why Resource does not use this achievement to underscore its advocacy with the Government in calling for more money for regional museums. AIM has called for a restoration of the fund in future years.  Page 3
  
  
• Explosion! the Museum of Naval Firepower at Gosport, Hampshire has been taken over by the local council, the trustees have stepped down and the director and some staff made redundant. The trustees say the council has refused to increase its financial help for the museum, set up as part of a Millennium Commission project, even though it has reneged on its part of the agreement to provide commercial and transport infrastructure in the area. Now the council is exploring partnership talks with other museums.  Page 4
  
  
• Brooklands Museum at Weybridge, Surrey, the birthplace of motor sport, is to co-operate closely with DaimlerChrysler which plans to build a major showroom and customer centre on a site adjacent to the museum.  The museum will benefit from a repaired historic racetrack, a country park, anti-flooding measures and a free bus service for visitors.  In return Brooklands will provide the company with motoring heritage links it desires for its customers.  Page 5
  
  

Plus

Information on AIM’s latest events, AIM’s Trading Survey, the Bob Harding Training Fund Bursaries and FOCUS information papers, and the two-page AIM Directory – 30+ providers of products and services for the museum sector.
Further information contacts: Sam Mullins, AIM chairman - Tel 020 7379 6344. Fax 020 7565 7250.   Email  samm@ltmuseum.co.uk.  Diana Zeuner, AIM Bulletin editor - Tel/Fax 01243 811364.  Email  heavyhorse@mistral.co.uk.