Visitor numbers at a standstill as museums reopen

12 Aug 2020

Major museums are attracting less than 10% of the visitors they normally would - and paying through the nose to do so.

'Heritage is more than Downton Abbey': RSA and British Council call for 'radical' shake-up of sector

07 Aug 2020

Heritage can grow the UK's post-Covid economy - but only if it starts "telling the stories of more diverse parts of Britain".

Rocky path ahead for museums and galleries

a row of portable toilets in a field, photo taken at twilight
26 Jun 2020

A 9-point checklist will guide the safe reopening of museums and galleries, but visitors may still stay away if the services and facilities they usually enjoy are not available.

Rates victory sets precedent for other museums and galleries

Internal photo of Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery in Exeter
25 Jun 2020

The rateable value of an Exeter museum fell from £445,000 to just £1 following a Tribunal ruling that has opened the doors for others to appeal their rates bills.

Cautious re-start for museums, galleries and cinemas

Tate Modern taken from inside the hall
24 Jun 2020

The Government is encouraging the sector to welcome the public back, but museum directors warn that “permission to reopen does not resolve the huge issues currently facing the sector”.

Museums and galleries face new challenges as re-opening approaches

man and woman sitting on a bench looking at a painting in a gallery - view from behind the couple
29 May 2020

Museums and galleries are preparing to address the conflicting challenges of attracting audiences back whilst having to postpone the most popular exhibitions until social distancing measures are lifted.

Museums face strict re-opening rules

a young man, back to us, viewing picture in a gallery
30 Apr 2020

Museums and galleries across Europe are preparing to open, but the impact of social distancing measures and a lack of tourists raises concerns for their viability.

Digital boom sustains museum audiences but not income

Interior of Rijksmuseum - people in gallery
10 Apr 2020

Volunteer programmes have been suspended and freelance contracts are at risk as museums take measures to sustain themselves through the Covid crisis.

Museums' infrastructure is crumbling – literally

30 Mar 2020

As cultural venues sit empty, a national audit finds the UK's museums in dire condition.

Museum freelancers to sector: ‘Fight for us’

23 Mar 2020

UK museums, libraries, galleries and archives must “visibly and robustly stand up for freelancers who they frequently depend so greatly on”.

'Don't wash your hands of us': Creative sector demands more support

20 Mar 2020

Arts workers, unions and membership organisations react to UK-wide closures and the “unmanageable risks” presented by the lack of an enforced directive. 

What we've learned from car parks about boosting attendance

An overhead photo of people in an art gallery
27 Feb 2020

A flexible pricing experiment caused the Weserburg Museum of Modern Art's visitor numbers to soar while maintaining steady income levels, reports Tom Schoessler.

Jewish Museum London pulls out of National Portfolio

18 Feb 2020

The museum will continue to receive £220k a year from Arts Council England as well as an extra £100k to explore different business models.

A collective voice for freelancers

02 Jan 2020

Some organisations and funders do not see freelancers as an intrinsic part of the sector. The Museum Freelance network is advocating to make sure their contribution is recognised and valued, says Christina Lister.

How can heritage respond to a changing world?

A photo of a large glass door with text on it
05 Dec 2019

Climate change, activism, funding constraints, policy priorities… How can museums and heritage organisations adjust their presentation, programming, collections and business models in response to the challenging world around them? Being adaptable is the only way forward, says Tom Freshwater.

Cultural partnerships to lead high streets regeneration

Photo of Royal Court Theatre Wigan
26 Nov 2019

Historic England envisages the community-led scheme will become a “catalyst for wider regeneration” in a similar way to Creative People and Places.

‘Better evidence’ needed on immersive technology

11 Nov 2019

A study warns that “debates about authenticity, re-creation and fakery are amplified by digital technologies”.

Millions more visit major museums

Photo of Terracotta Warriors
28 Oct 2019

Several museums and galleries have recorded their highest visitor numbers in a decade – leading DCMS to claim it was a “record breaking year for museums and galleries in England”.

£250m funding boost for culture

Photo of National Railway Museum, York
17 Oct 2019

The Government’s “biggest ever single investment in cultural infrastructure” will pay for building maintenance in musuems, technology for libraries and regeneration projects.

Heritage key to creative industries’ success, report claims

24 Sep 2019

The Heritage Alliance is calling for greater recognition and funding to support the historic places and objects that underpin creative and cultural activities, challenging the stereotype of heritage as “a decorative incidental backdrop to contemporary creative work”.

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