Beamish Museum – September 2015 Towards self-sufficiency with purpose… Or how to adapt and...

Beamish Museum – September 2015

Towards self-sufficiency with purpose…Or how to adapt and prosper in the age of austerity

UK context….

Museums >

We must have such a museum in England: otherwise so much

would be lost along with the equally important chance to tell

everyone about their own pastDr Frank Atkinson, 1952

Future planning – including the 1950s

Any transferable lessons?

1. Clear, distinctive purpose: Everyone’s work aligned to this. Led with passion.

2. Entrepreneurial: Innovate – match what’s possible with what’s needed.

3. Inclusive: Absolute focus on a diverse audience.

4. Creating value: Use knowledge/collections to create experiences that people pay for.

5. Learning: Through participation - using collections to tell stories.

6. Community resource: Social meeting points, inter-generational. Democratic.

7. Delivering social/economic benefits: Tourism; Health; Jobs; lifelong learning; training

8. Investing in people: developing progression routes

9. Networked: outward looking, learning from others, digital

10. Continuous evaluation: Know your performance – share learning in a transparent way

Thanks for having me

Richard EvansDirector, Beamish Museum

richardevans@beamish.org.uk

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