Collections Research and Travel Bursaries: Aberdeen Maritime Museum

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It is crucial to effective collections use that museums enhance, communicate and value the knowledge they hold, yet many museum staff feel they rarely have the resources to carry out dedicated research or to develop collections expertise. Aberdeen Maritime Museum has an extensive collection of over 300 ship models, yet none of the museum staff had been able to receive any specific ship model conservation training. This case study illustrates how an MGS Collections Research and Travel Bursary assisted the Assistant Keeper of Maritime History to attend a course which has not only enhanced her own confidence in working with the collection, but which has also benefitted the organisation as a whole and contributed to their collections management plan.

The bursary assisted with course and travel fees to enable Aberdeen Maritime Museum’s Assistant Keeper of Maritime History, Meredith Greiling, to attend a four-day residential course, Professional Conservators in Practice Course; The Conservation of Ship Models, at West Dean College. The course was provided as part of the Continuing Professional Development programmes at West Dean College, as an opportunity for intensive study in a specialised area of maritime history collections. Attendance at the course was intended to enhance knowledge of ethical conservation, packing, storage and transport techniques; and to develop professional relationships to foster the spirit of mutual exchange of ideas and experiences.

Participants received lectures on the following topics: a historical background of ship models from 16th century to the 20th century; an overview of the production, technology and fabrication of models, identification of materials, recognition of conservation problems, approaches and treatments; how to survey a collection; examination and condition reports; handling, moving and display and storage; engineering models. As the course was residential, discussions about the topics continued informally throughout the day and across mealtimes. For more information see Meredith’s work blog

• Meredith received lectures about agents of decay on ship models, complex interactions of materials, and whether and how to treat, or not treat them. Coupled with practical demonstrations of other conservation techniques, Meredith feels equipped to perform a survey of our ship models collections, produce condition reports and to identify and prioritise those in need of conservation.
• Practical handling sessions including constructing packing cases for models. The Museum had designed and built new ship model transportation crates, which have been vetted and approved by all of the course tutors and attendees and improved by their suggestions.
• Insight into latest collections developments at the National Maritime Museum and their ‘National Galleries at Chatham’ project.

• Opportunity to build subject-specialist professional relationships with leading conservators, curators and historians working with ship models across Britain, northern Europe and USA. This group will prove a valuable advice resource for the future, when Aberdeen come to thinking about relocating their ship model collections from their current storage.

The experience of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum demonstrates how taking the opportunity to improve on collections care and knowledge can help refocus the activities of a museum, and help address crucial issues such as collections conservation and care and interpretation, which impact positively on the potential use of the museums collection and help to reposition their role and profile within the community.

Meredith prepared a report on the visit and will be presenting some of the key topics from the course to colleagues in the region by way of a presentation. This will disseminate the key ideas and facts (as well as passing on reading lists and the course notes) not only to immediate colleagues in this service, but also to the wider museum service across Aberdeen City and Shire and any others who may be interested in attending.

Aberdeen Maritime Museum were asked to fill out an evaluation form and to provide a brief illustrated report, assessing how the project enhanced the individual’s CPD and how what they learnt benefitted both the organisation as a whole and specifically, their collection’s management plan.

Categories
Research
Collections

Project Start
1st Sep 2009

Project End
1st Jan 2010

Published
28th Jan 2010

Who Led?
Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Who Paid?
MGS provided a bursary towards the cost of the project.