Exploded! How an MGS Collections Research & Travel Bursary lit up Falkirk

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Sound knowledge of collections is essential if they are to be used and enjoyed to the maximum, yet many museum staff and volunteers feel they rarely have the time or resources to carry out dedicated research or to develop collections expertise. This case study illustrates how an MGS Collections Research and Travel Bursary assisted the Curator of one member museum service not only to increase her own knowledge and confidence in managing an unfamiliar collection, but greatly enhanced the interpretation and display of a temporary exhibition and allowed for the creation of fuller collections catalogue records.

The bursary assisted with travel costs to enable Falkirk Council’s Museum Curator (then Emma Roodhouse) to undertake research visits to the Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson (near Fareham) and The Museum of Naval Firepower in Gosport, to study the development of artillery, munitions manufacture and explosives from the 18th century to early 20th century.

Emma undertook various activities including viewing the collections and displays, undertaking meetings and discussion with relevant curatorial staff and using dedicated library and archive facilities to research artillery design, development and use.

• new information about both these types of collection, and specific Falkirk-made objects
• awareness of the ethical issues in displaying such collections and how to interpret them
• new museum contacts for advice and potential future loans

For museum visitors, both local and from further afield, the research and newly acquired knowledge had an immediate benefit in that they helped to open up this area of the collections, providing increased access to the objects and greater awareness generally of Falkirk’s artillery and munitions industry through a temporary exhibition.

Longer term, the information acquired will also be used to enhance contextual documentation for the related objects in Falkirk’s collection. This can then be added to the collections database, a tool that will be available to the public – and other museums – online.

This supporting documentation also adds to the interpretation and future display options for the collection. The Royal Armouries collection at Fort Nelson includes Carron artillery pieces, and the visit opened up options to negotiate loans for future displays.

The Curator prepared reports on the visit and provided feedback to other staff.

Category
Collections

Project Start
1st Nov 2007

Project End
1st May 2008

Published
26th May 2009

Who Led?
Falkirk Council

Who Paid?
MGS and Falkirk Council

How Much?
£259.18 MGS and £86.40 Falkirk Council