Exciting news! The Society for Museum Archaeology (SMA) have been awarded funding by Historic England to carry out a project to assess the use of museum archaeological collections. This important project aims to demonstrate the current range and level of use of archaeological collections held by museums and other organisations. This data has not been comprehensively collected before now, but such an evidence base is essential in order to better inform significant current debates and to support initiatives exploring the wide range of potential benefits that public access to archaeological heritage can deliver.
MSDS Heritage have been appointed to carry out the project and together with the SMA, they will be working with 20 organisations over the next two and a half years to build a comprehensive evidence base. Working with a small number of project partners will allow the data collection to be undertaken in real time over a period of 18-months, with ongoing analysis being conducted to identify any emerging trends. The partners represent a wide range of museums and include a small number of other organisations who hold accessible archaeological collections. With such a broad range, the data will represent a cross-section of the sector in terms of the use of archaeological collections.
An online community space for project partners will be created that will help to foster relationships, provide the opportunity for discussion and will sustain the community across the life of the project. Updates on project process over the next couple of years will be shared with the wider community so watch this space!
We have a small number of spaces remaining for project partners so if your organisation is interested in taking part, please contact the MSDS Heritage Project Manager, Aisling Nash at aisling@msdsmarine.co.uk
