Dr Liz Hide, University of Cambridge Museums Officer, presents ‘University Museums: who cares? What can a 21st century University Museum contribute to society’
Dr Liz Hide is leading the development of the University of Cambridge Museums consortium and the delivery of the UCM’s Major Partner Museum programme Connecting Collections. Her background is in geology and palaeontology and previous roles include Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology at the National Museum of Scotland. In Cambridge she chairs the county-wide Cambridgeshire Museums Advisory Partnership, and is a founding member of the Cambridge Arts Leaders group. In 2012 she prepared ‘Impact and Engagement University Museums for the 21st Century’ on behalf of the University Museums Group, and is currently leading on the development of short film promoting the work of University Museums in the UK.
University Museums are a diverse species. Large, multi-themed institutions such as The Manchester Museum, The Ashmolean in Oxford and The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge are the main cultural providers in their region, contrasting strongly with specialist collections embedded within research departments. Their collections may form the backbone of research activity, or be sidelined to an awkward corner as research trends move on. Gallery spaces may hum with new ideas and debate, or bristle with resistance to change. In this seminar Liz will explore what it is that University Museums do, and demonstrate why, in changing times, she thinks University Museums lie at the heart of the wider museums sector. She will discuss the role they play within their parent Universities, the many impacts they have on audiences, and their potential for the future. There will also be an opportunity to share your experiences with university museums and collections – please do feel free to share them!
This event is open to all UCS staff, students and visitors.
Contact
To book your place, please contact Julie Barber:
T- 01473 338181
Heritage Futures 