Wow – Wessex Museums Conference 2022!

People at conference in spectaculat setting of Dorset Museum

What people said: 

“All the panels and talks were brilliant, but the decolonisation panel was especially enlightening for me.”

“Really enjoyed the day, brilliantly organised, went very smoothly and came home with a lot to think about.”

“Honest and thought-provoking discussion of decolonisation.”

Wessex Museums was delighted to welcome more than 90 museum and heritage sector professionals from across the country to our recent conference, Museums Matter: being more relevant, inclusive and sustainable. Held in the splendid setting of Dorset Museum, it was the first museums sector conference in the southwest since 2019. 

Partnership Manager, Kristina Broughton says: “We felt it was really important to host an in-person event – for colleagues to take time away from their offices, their screens, to come together for the first time in a long while. At these events, it’s often the conversations you have over a cup of tea during the breaks that turn out to have the longest lasting impact.

“Through all stages of planning this event, we worked to embody the theme of the conference. We looked carefully at how we could minimise the carbon emissions and make it as inclusive as possible. With the support of Arts Council England, we were able to offer highly subsidised delegate rates, as well as additional funding support for students and people with access needs. The conference was entirely paper-free and only vegetarian and vegan food was served, both conscious decisions to reduce the environmental impact of the event.”

The conference programme was co-curated with the museums sector in the southwest, and covered a wide range of topics including museum redevelopment projects, co-creation, tackling the climate emergency and decolonisation.

The diverse range of speakers and panellists were drawn from regional and small museums, sector support organisations, academia and our own Wessex partner museums. They included Tony Butler, Executive Director of Derby Museums and Katherine McAlpine, Director of the Brunel Museum, as well as a stellar panel discussion on decolonisation with Corinne Fowler, Professor of Museums Studies at the University of Leicester, Roshi Naidoo from the Museums Association, and local poet, writer and EDI consultant, Louisa Adjoa-Parker.

Kristina added: “We understand that it can be difficult for people to take time out of work for events like these, so we wanted to put together a programme that touched on key issues in our sector. Our outstanding speakers, including some from our own Wessex Museums, delivered an event that struck the perfect balance of learning, celebration, inspiration and challenge for delegates.”

The event included a sector support showcase with Southwest Museums Development, the Southwest Federation of Museums, Real Ideas Organisation and Kids in Museums. It also offered opportunities to tour the partnership’s Hardy’s Wessex exhibition and see the newly redeveloped Dorset Museum.

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.

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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!

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