Transforming a National Museum Celebrating a Year of Achievement As We Look to the Future
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ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15 INSIDE / 02 / 04 / 06 / 10 / 14 / ON POINT ON PLAN ON TOUR ON TRACK ON SHOW Success across Making Our teams in New building New galleries the board in positive action across takes shape transform 2014/15 change the UK in Chelsea Museum offer TRANSFORMinG A natiOnal MuseuM Celebrating a year of achievement as we look to the future BRIEFING STATE CHAIRMAN’S Joining the Museum, a year into the rebuilding project, has perhaps been the most opportune time to do so. Our outreach projects are reaching new audiences and giving us new ways of working. Meanwhile, the construction work is beginning to reveal the shape of the new building. M I am looking forward to working with the Council ENT driving forward the final development stages. These include seeing the gallery spaces – designed by Event Communications – come to life and The National Army Museum reaching final approval of the RIBA Stage E designs with the appointment of specialist showcase is not only about the history of design contracts. It is also the final push on the fundraising campaign. the Army. It plays a vital role We have seen extraordinary generosity here already. Furthermore, the fundraising process has in helping to define, explain generated more than money, giving us many new friends and partners. and preserve our nation’s I look forward to supporting the Museum, to shaping its future and ensuring that the stories it has to tell social, political and cultural continue to resonate clearly. General Sir Richard Shirreff KCB CBE history and the ways in which Chairman of Council the Army interacts with them. Which is why the ‘Building for the Future’ project is so PROFile General Sir Richard Shirreff KCB CBE, was most recently NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied important in making the Commander Europe In a varied Army career General Sir Richard has Museum a dynamic and relevant commanded on operations at every level from platoon to division, including combat in the Gulf War of 1991 as a tank squadron leader, counter-insurgency operations in Northern Ireland resource for everyone who (three tours), together with Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. He then went on to command the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps before his final tour as Deputy wants to understand more Supreme Allied Commander Europe. General Sir Richard is now a partner in Strategia Worldwide, a consultancy advising on the about their society and the role management of strategic risk. This is his first year as Chairman of the National the Army has in it. Army Museum Council. NATIONAL ARMY museum ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15 01 PLANNING O CARRYIN “We planned it in 2011 and we’ve UT done what we said we’d do” states Director General Janice Murray. The closure and planned THE PLAN transformation has this year helped to create a new business model, an outreach programme, fresh audiences and a new way JAniCE MURRAY, of working. And that’s with another DIRECtoR GenERAL G OF THE NAtionAL year to run before the new building ARmy Museum opens. Transformation indeed. reflects on the past 12 months Designed by Event Communications, the new thematic and talks candidly A national footprint galleries reflect the latest thinking in museum design. about the future. Many questioned the Museum closing during the First “We’ve become more outgoing But it’s not just about a series of new galleries. The new World War commemoration period, but “we couldn’t and placed more emphasis on Museum will offer accommodation that provides go on as we were, we’d outgrown the building.” In fact, working with people.” new opportunities for people to engage in our archives Janice believes that the inevitable increase in visitor and deliver a transformed learning service – from numbers during that time would have exacerbated the early years to adult education. It’s the quality of building’s limitations. visitor experience people have come to expect from Rather than simply shut the doors, we designed events Inspiring new support world-class museums. and activities for each year of the closure. Closer to home we’ve developed new partnerships to help us deliver our services during closure and Old friends and new friends The Museum has always had a pretty well defined later after re-opening. The London Metropolitan Perhaps because we’ve had to be, we’ve become more audience in London and the South East but we wanted Archives have helped us continue to run our archive outgoing and more interested in working with people. to take this opportunity to reach out further. Which enquiry service. One of the partnerships has been We’ve worked with old friends in the Army and we’ve is why our commitment to maintaining services while with Ancestry, who have digitised our collection made great new partners too. “The Ming Ai Institute have invigorating our outreach programme saw us engage of UK Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, from helped us better understand the Chinese contribution with a more geographically diverse audience than 1901–1929. Listing the name, rank, regiment, date, to World War One. Most people probably had no idea ever before. place of death and next-of-kin of casualties, what that was – so some of the things we’ve found out Working with Regimental and Corps museum partners they provide a fascinating and touching insight. have added immeasurably to our knowledge.” across the country, we created Outbreak 1914, With the Museum closed, we have also had the an exhibition commemorating the outbreak of the Looking forward: a new service opportunity to foster new friendships and extend First World War and the role the regiments played in Delivering such massive change – on site and out on our network of supporters. its first year. the road – has been a huge undertaking and immense The Army has also been very supportive – from achievement. Every member of staff, every volunteer Over 150,000 people saw Outbreak 1914. It enabled us, helping us collect contemporary objects that record the and every supporter are to be hugely thanked. We are while closed, to have some of our most significant most recent conflicts, to gathering oral histories from nearly there. First World War collection items on display across serving and recently serving soldiers. This will enable the UK, from Aberdeen to Exeter. Most especially in Best of all, the changes that the closure have inspired us to create a modern, relevant 21st-century museum. Folkestone, where we worked with the Town Council are all positive. Janice Murray sums it up very clearly: and Step Short to tell the story of the town’s role as the “It’s allowed us to change how we work. We will have Listening to the voices of experience main embarkation point for troops heading off to war. a new core building – but now we have a new service.” And why is this important you ask? In our audience We also took our learning service on the road, engaging research we found that the two most frequently We’re all looking forward to the year ahead. thousands of young people in better understanding the asked questions were: role the men and women of their local area played in What does it feel like to be a soldier? the Great War. What does it feel like to fight? ABOVE Graphic from Outbreak 1914! exhibition. Wherever the Museum has gone, the reaction has The only people who can answer these questions RIGHT Right Honourable Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone been extraordinary. People have been genuinely happy are soldiers. Hearing their living voices and voices “ People are happy to see and Hythe at the opening of Your Country Calls exhibition that we’ve taken the Collection to them. As Janice puts at Folkestone Town Hall. from history through the Museum’s archives and things brought to their it: “We are a national museum and now we have a FAR RIGHT Collection. Janice adds “I really hope that’s what the A serving soldier at one of NAM’s First World War national footprint.” So, while there was never a good neck of the woods.” learning programmes as part of the Army’s Op Reflect new galleries can explore.” centenary commemorations. time to close, there has been a good outcome. NATIONAL ARMY museum NATIONAL ARMY museum 02 ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15 ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15 03 PEOPLE “ We wouldn’t get everything done without them.” HELPING MAKE A DIFFERENCE While much of the focus falls on the Like all volunteering communities, we have physical transformation of the Museum, a wide range in ages, backgrounds and behind the scenes an equally important cultures – but we’re actively and happily change is unfolding: of our staff and their encouraging greater diversity. Some ways of working. volunteers are retired; some are young, coming for six months work experience. Integral to the Building for the Future project is its Activity Plan. This sets out Without doubt, no one knows better A huge year over 50 projects to be delivered within the than those who’ve been there and done it. building development period to help This insight and experience informs the transform the Museum. Some projects are recent partnership with Help for Heroes. of transformation aimed at maintaining our services during Getting ex-servicemen to explain the closure. Some relate to changing and exhibits from a personal and professional and active change developing the way we work with many of point of view is invaluable. Which is why the staff involved in its delivery. such volunteering rewards all sides and will continue and deepen once the new War and Sikhs and development.