Читать книгу Museum Practice - Группа авторов - Страница 43

1 1 Now TWAM, having added responsibility for Tyne and Wear Archives.

2 2 The principal architects of the extraordinary changes at TWM during the 1990s were John Millard, Neil Sinclair, John Wilks, Sharon Granville, Alex Saint, and Alec Coles, though many others made important contributions. I should like to acknowledge all TWM staff of that period for their remarkable contribution to helping change the nature of British museums.

3 3 I gave a paper with the title of “The Museum as an Agent of Social Change” at the Annual Conference of the Museums Association in Liverpool in September 1993, to an audience of fewer than 10 people.

4 4 Letter, Joe Ging to the author, March 3, 1993.

5 5 I should like to record my thanks to the Chairs of Tyne and Wear Museums during my directorship, especially Newcastle councillors Barney Rice and Don Price, to the Vice-Chairs throughout this period, Sunderland councillor Ralph Baxter, and to David Cobb of Newcastle City Council, the Clerk to the Joint Museums Committee. Our achievements at Tyne and Wear Museums would have been much thinner without the unflagging support of these people.

6 6 See the series of 10 Tyne and Wear Museums Annual Reports that cover this period for details of changes in staff structures, exhibition programs, new permanent displays, visitor numbers etc. (Tyne and Wear Museums Annual Reports. 1991/2–2000/1). See also “Visitor Services Case Study” (1998) and “Education Case Study” (1999).

7 7 Museums Association (1995). In a letter, a prominent Newcastle Labour councillor referred to herself as “Past President: Philistines for Labour” after having discovered that, contrary to her expectations, museums were not merely a place for elitist activities. Letter, Councillor Gina Tiller to the author, April 1, 1994. In another letter, the outgoing Leader of Newcastle City Council wrote that management of TWM had “improved immeasurably” compared with “the rather dreary days” of former times. Letter, Councillor Sir Jeremy Beecham to the author, December 5, 1994. Another endorsement came from the Chief Executive of the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation, who wrote of “the revolution you are engaged in making the Museums service more accessible.” Letter, Alastair G. Balls to the author, October 5, 1994.

8 8 See also Watson (2012: 19).

9 9 See ICOM (2014) and Museums Association (2014).

10 10 Letter, Rt. Hon Alan Howarth CBE, MP, to the author, August 13, 2001.

11 11 At that time the word “Liverpool” was still rather synonymous in the UK with urban decay, deprivation, unemployment, and crime. Not all trustees were comfortable with these associations, and although those of us who believed in adopting the new name eventually prevailed, it was not before we had to endure considerable delay in trustees finally agreeing to implement the new name. The decision has been more than justified since then, not least when Liverpool won the accolade of becoming the European Capital of Culture in 2008.