Book now! Conference 2022: Museums Matter

Mixed group of people in museum

Museums Matter: Being more relevant, inclusive and sustainable.

Conference hosted by Wessex Museums.

Date: 20 September 2022.

Venue: Dorset Museum, Dorchester.

Now open for bookings!

Wessex Museums is hosting its first regional conference in over five years. Book your place now on Museums Matter: Being more relevant, inclusive and sustainable. To be held at Dorset Museum, Dorchester, it boasts an exciting programme including keynote lectures from leading professionals in the museum, arts and heritage sector. 

Numbers are limited so book your place now. £25 per delegate to include lunch and refreshments. Plus 25% discount for students. 

Outline programme

9:45am: Optional tour of our Hardy’s Wessex exhibition with curator, Harriet Still (pre booking necessary).

10:00am: Arrival and networking.

10:20am: Welcome & Introduction 

10:30am: Tony Butler, Director of Derby Museums, discusses the co-creation of the Museum of Making.  

11:20am: Panel Discussion: My World My Future, connecting young people, climate and museums. With Wessex Museums and Kids in Museums (KIM). 

12:00pm: Nicola Bird of MultakaOxford discusses how they they work with two renowned university museums and their collections to bring diverse communities together.  

12:45pm: Lunch and Networking.

1:10pm: Optional tour of Hardy’s Wessex exhibition with curator, Harriet Still (pre booking necessary).

1:45pm: Katherine McAlpine, Director of The Brunel Museum, discusses a community approach to being a sustainable museum. 

2:30pm: Small Budget, Big Impact case studies.

3:15pm: Break.

3:35pm: Panel Discussion: Decolonisation, where to start. With Professor Corinne Fowler, Museums Studies at University of Leicester, and Director of Colonial Countryside; Roshi Naidoo, Museums Association Decolonisation Officer and Louisa Adjoa Parker, writer,  poet, heritage and EDI consultant.

4:35pm: Closing Remarks – Kristina Broughton.

4:45pm: Conference closes.

5:00pm: Optional tour of Hardy’s Wessex exhibition with curator, Harriet Still (pre booking necessary).

5:30pm-7:30pm Optional evening reception.

Showcase your project 

Thank you to everyone who came forward with proposals to present case studies on the theme of Small Budget, Big Impact. We’ve chosen four exciting projects – details to be announced soon. These projects have all had a big impact on communities, collections, audiences or museum sustainability, but with a budget of less than £10k.

The conference would not be possible without the support of Arts Council England. Its funding is allowing us to deliver the conference at a highly subsidised rate.

Sawfish are also called carpenter sharks...but they are rays, not sharks!

There’s also a species called a sawshark, but that’s, well, a shark!

What the heck is a lek?

Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.

Road Runner!

The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.

Belly Buster!

The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!

Skip to content