Porthcurno Telegraph Museum, Cornwall
AIM BULLETIN FEBRUARY 2008
IN THIS ISSUE –
· What makes a successful independent museum? Delegates to AIM’s Annual Conference on 1-3 May 2008 hosted by the Historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent, will find out, as this is the theme of the event. Highlights will include a keynote speech by museum consultant Tristram Besterman; new research by Adrian Babbidge of Egeria Heritage Consultancy on Defining Success for Independent Museums; case studies from successful independents; workshops on subjects from conservation to trading; the annual dinner in the Royal Engineers Museum mess and a trip along the River Medway on the paddle steamer Kingswear Castle. Most importantly the conference enables those running independent museums to come together and swap ideas and experiences. Development Partners is Conference sponsor. A full programme and form is included with the February AIM Bulletin, and is available on the AIM website. Page 1-2
· Braintree District Museum is the latest heritage project to report metal theft – and its insurers have failed to meet the claim. Lead was removed from the museum’s roof and water ruined interior galleries. Insurers Zurich Municipal failed to pay, as ‘forcible entry’ was not proved. Specialist museum insurer Adam Prideaux of Blackwall Green point out that an all risks policy tailor-made for museums was the best way of preventing a similar problem. The recent spate of metal thefts has been driven by demand in China. Guidance notes on deterrents have been issued by English Heritage and Ecclesiastical Insurance. Page 2
· The Government is to look at ways of helping smaller charities benefit from the Gift Aid scheme. Following a recent consultation a series of meetings will be held to consider possible changes. Two groups have been set up to look at what guidance and awareness-raising measures would help increase the take-up of Gift Aid, and to look at what support could help smaller charities access and administer the scheme. Page 3
· TopLots – the exciting new project auctioning heritage experiences and behind-the-scenes activities via eBay – has announced its programme for 2008. Organisations interested in participating should register on www.toplots.co.uk by 29 February. The programme includes museums and galleries in May, houses and gardens and transport and steam in June, performing arts in September and heritage in general in October. The pilot auction last October brought in £30,000 for museums and heritage projects. The new venture is run by Development Partners in association with AIM and eBay for Charity, working closely with VisitBritain. Further information: www.toplots.co.uk. Page 5
· AIM’s national advocacy on behalf of its members continues to be a major part of its work, and most recently the association has been fighting independents’ corner in the drafting of the proposed national strategy for museums. AIM has stressed the need to include independent museum thinking in any national strategy for museums. Meanwhile Museums, Libraries & Archives Council’s new chief executive Roy Clare is keen to set up quarterly meetings with AIM to ensure the needs and views of independents are properly taken into account in MLA’s work. Page 6
· Innovative digital technology has been used to help manufacture replacement parts for restoration projects at Beamish, North of England Open Air Museum, Co Durham. Using a laser scanner broken objects are matched exactly, creating a virtual 3D part on a computer which is then used with Computer Aided Design Systems to manufacture the replica parts. Page 16
