Museums and COVID-19 report

Jacob O’Sullivan, Museum Development Manager for Collections and Interpretation at MGS and Loretta Mordi, Museum Development Manager for Learning and Engagement at MGS were interviewed for the report recently published by Queen Mary University of London and the University of Liverpool. The report titled Museums and Covid-19 presents experiences, lessons learned, and recommendations drawn from interviews with museum sector workers for the project Stay Home: Rethinking the Domestic in the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

Jacob spoke about the sector’s need for digital support and training during the pandemic and how the Scottish Government and MGS addressed this. Jacob also spoke about how enhanced digital confidence has eased communication across the sector and enabled MGS to host a wider range of guest speakers at online Knowledge Exchange events. Geographical forums were also strengthened as a result of the increase in digital confidence; museums in different areas of Scotland came together online to support each other and share knowledge. 

The internet and social media became key to both sustaining existing, and developing new, audiences during the pandemic. Loretta spoke about the collaborative work MGS undertook with Education Scotland to develop resources for online learning while pupils were being home schooled.

Loretta also spoke about museums’ response to racial and social justice, in particular the Black Lives Matter movement and how this served as a catalyst for museums to reflect on the stories they were telling and how they could re-emerge from the pandemic more relevant to society.