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3 days ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
Archaeology sector bodies have called for cross-sector input to inform any potential changes to human remains law and policy in the UK. In a joint statement, eight archaeological organisations from across the UK said a “cross-sector consultative forum” should be established to enable a wide range of viewpoints to be heard on any proposed changes to human remains legislation and practice.
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4 days ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
A new museum of military intelligence is to be created in a series of underground tunnels built to shelter Londoners during the Blitz. The Kingsway exchange tunnel complex, under High Holborn in the City of London, was constructed between 1940 and 1942 in order to protect people from aerial bombardment, but due to the changing nature of the war it was never used for its original purpose.
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4 days ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
Organisations applying for funding from Arts Council England (ACE) should use generative AI “cautiously”, the funding body has warned. The arts council published a statement this week outlining its position on the use of AI in writing funding bids and in processing, assessing and making decisions on applications.
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2 weeks ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
The Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC has described an attack outside the institution in which two Israeli embassy staff members were fatally shot as an “act of horrific antisemitic violence”. The attack happened on 21 May during an evening event at the museum organised by the advocacy group American Jewish Committee.
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2 weeks ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams |Amgueddfa Cymru
The Welsh Government has published its new Priorities for Culture, a strategic document outlining its vision for a resilient sector that brings people together and celebrates Wales as a “nation of culture”. Launched this week, the document outlines how the culture sector will support the government towards delivering the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015, which includes the central goal of creating “a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language”.
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3 weeks ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
The director of the British Museum has ruled out any move towards allowing restitution from its collections as he focuses instead on fostering global collaboration. In an interview with The Times, Nicholas Cullinan said he had no plans to change the museum’s policy against permanently deaccessioning artefacts, which would require an act of parliament. “I could make lobbying to get the act changed my sole focus but that seems mad, and it may not be the right thing,” he told the newspaper.
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3 weeks ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
A project supported by the Museums Association’s Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund has been highly commended in this year’s Museums + Heritage (M+H) Awards, which were announced at a ceremony in London on 15 May. Global Choices, Local Voices was a decolonisation programme led by National Museums NI, in partnership with the African and Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Museums Council.
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3 weeks ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
Historian Dan Snow has joined the advisory council for the planned Museum of the Prime Minister. The initiative is being led by Anthony Seldon, the political biographer and historian of Downing Street, and Scottish entrepreneur Robert Kilgour. The pair have set up a registered charity to drive the plans forward. The mission of the charity is to establish a permanent museum “where visitors can explore the achievements, failures and decisions of British prime ministers”.
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3 weeks ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
Protesters demonstrated outside the British Museum this week over an event held at the institution celebrating Israeli Independence Day. The museum was picketed on Wednesday 13 May as an evening event was being held to mark the anniversary of David Ben Gurion signing the Israeli Declaration of Independence. A spokesperson for the British Museum confirmed the gathering was a commercial event and not one hosted by the museum.
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1 month ago | 
museumsassociation.org | Geraldine Kendall Adams
Rumours that the government is considering the abolition of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have sparked concern in the culture sector. The Sunday Times political correspondent Tim Shipman reported this week that prime minister Keir Starmer’s team “wants to abolish the Department for Culture, Media and Sport — splitting it between the business department, the education department and the Treasury — allowing them to fire Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state”.
