Working with national museums: partnerships and collaboration

Image courtesy of the National Army Museum National museums work in partnership with other museums, collections and historic sites across the UK. Partnerships are based around the sharing of collections and knowledge in a way that benefits all those involved.

Working in partnership enables museums opportunities to work with community to reach a much wider audience and organisations, artists and universities. discover more about their collection, as By working collaboratively, all museums well as sharing skills and knowledge, and are able to make the most of the embracing new opportunities. expertise in both national and non- Traditional methods of developing national museums, through activity like partnerships – such as lending objects, joint apprenticeships, strategic training touring exhibitions and staff exchanges programmes and joint digital projects. – remain popular, and national museums As the economic, social and work with an increasing number and technological context within which variety of collections. Partnership UK museums work continues to galleries, long-term loans and co- change rapidly, working together is an produced exhibitions increase access effective way for museums to retain to both national and local collections, collections expertise, fully embrace new whilst placements and subject specialist opportunities and increase access to networks ensure knowledge and good both national and local collections and practice is shared across the museum the stories these can tell. sector. Many national museums have a post Nevertheless, the means by which dedicated to the development and national museums work collaboratively management of partnerships. If you are becoming ever-more numerous and are interested in collaborating with a creative, and cover almost every aspect of national museum, it may be best to a museum’s operation. Digital technology contact the person listed on the back of opens up greater possibilities, as do the this leaflet

By working collaboratively, all museums are able to make the most of the expertise in both national and non- national museums.

Image courtesy of the Natural History Museum CASE STUDIES National Museums Northern Ireland The British Museum National Museums Northern Ireland The British Museum tours exhibitions of and Wolverhampton Art Gallery different sizes across the UK: attracting shared their knowledge over half a million visitors in 2015/16. Spotlight to co-produce the highly exhibitions focus on one star object from the British commended exhibition Museum and place it in different regional contexts. Art of the Troubles. Exhibitions included Celebrating Ganesha, The Lacock Cup and The Sikh Fortress Turban. National Museums Scotland National Museums Scotland Imperial War Museums provides targeted knowledge IWM is leading the First World and skills training for Scottish War Centenary Partnership, museums in curatorial and other an international network of areas, with topics as diverse as organisations commemorating managing Egyptian collections, the the FWW Centenary. use of handling objects for learning, pest management and how to bid Museums can join for free effectively at auction. at 1914.org/partners and access digital assets, resources and training National Portrait Gallery and networking events. Following the National Portrait Gallery’s National acquisition of Anthony Van Dyck’s Army Museum Self-portrait in 2014, the painting is touring to six venues where it forms The National the centrepiece of six unique displays Army Museum involving a contemporary artist and a commemorated the 200th public programme. anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo with Waterloo Lives – a nationwide Tate programme of events, Tate convenes the activities and displays. British Art Network, which brings together National Galleries professionals working on of Scotland & Tate British art. It contributes to the sharing of ARTIST ROOMS is a collection of expertise, and modern and contemporary art shared supports a variety with UK institutions through a major of networking touring programme. The Collection opportunities. was established through the d’Offay Donation in 2008 and is jointly owned Membership to the and managed by the National Galleries network is always of Scotland and Tate. There have been open and free. 147 ARTIST ROOMS exhibitions at 77 museums and galleries since 2009. V&A The National Gallery The V&A provides a Photography Curatorial The National Gallery’s Masterpiece Tour traineeship with Museums Sheffield and sees one of the Gallery’s star works Nottingham City Museums. This is a go on tour. So far works by Manet, practical training opportunity for two young Canaletto and Rembrandt have been curators, and an opportunity to improve the displayed in venues across the UK. public access to photography collections. MUSEUMS

British Museum National Portrait Gallery National Programmes team Laura Down, Head of National Programmes E [email protected] E [email protected] britishmuseum.org/about_us/ T 020 7312 2425 national_programmes.aspx npg.org.uk/beyond/nationalprogrammes.php

Imperial War Museums Natural History Museum Gina Koutsika, Head of National and Katrina Nilsson International Learning and Engagement Head of National Public Programmes E [email protected] E [email protected] iwm.org.uk/corporate/projects-partnerships nhm.ac.uk/about-us/national-impact.html

National Army Museum RAF Museum Genevieve Adkins Karen Whitting, Director of Public Programmes Assistant Director Public Programmes E [email protected] E [email protected] T 020 7881 2491 T 020 8358 4821

National Galleries of Scotland Royal Armouries Sophie Dickinson Emma Carver, Director of Public Engagement Executive Assistant to the Director-General E [email protected] E [email protected] T 0131 624 6508 Royal Museums Greenwich Sarah Lockwood National Gallery Head of Learning and Interpretation Mary Hersov, Head of National Programmes E [email protected] E mary.hersov@ng-london.org.uk T 0207 747 2818 Science Museum Group ssn.nationalgallery.org.uk Laura Frampton, Partnerships Manager E [email protected] National Museum of the Royal Navy T 020 7942 4685 Nick Hewitt, Head of Heritage Development sciencemuseum.org.uk/ E [email protected] about-us/working-in-partnership T 02392 724391 Tate National Museums Liverpool Helen Cooper, Manager, National Programmes Francoise McClafferty E [email protected] Policy and International Relations Officer T 0207 7887 8956 E [email protected] tate.org.uk/about/our-work/ liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/about/ national-partnerships partnerships/index.aspx V&A National Museums Northern Ireland Julia Brettell, National Programmes Manager Hannah Crowdy, Interpretation Manager E [email protected] T 0207 942 2537 E [email protected] vam.ac.uk/info/va-national T 028 9039 5161 National Museums Scotland Jilly Burns E [email protected] E [email protected] nationalmuseums.org.uk T 0131 247 4024 nms.ac.uk/national-international Design: gslowrydesign.co.uk