Exciting museums
Allow me to reassure Dr Ian Johnston (Letters, May 13) that there is no tide of philistinism at National Museums Scotland. This is an exciting time as we embark upon a £46.4m redevelopment of the Royal Museum building, part of our flagship site, the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street in Edinburgh.
We are renewing 16 galleries,
many of which are 25 or even 50 years old. There will also be more internationally important treasures from the National Collections on display, 75% of which have not been on display for decades.
Combining the expertise of our own curatorial staff with that of
colleagues nationally and internationally, we are creating soundly-based and engaging displays for a
21st-century museum.
The Royal Museum building has been a flagship of Scottish cultural life for 150 years, housing outstanding collections of international significance, many unsurpassed in Europe . The Royal Museum Project will build on this wonderful resource and also provide new education facilities, revitalised public spaces and improved access for a broader audience.
We recognise that existing exhibitions are dated and visitor facilities inadequate. The Royal Museum Project aims to address these limitations by redeveloping a much-loved museum to provide a world-class experience for all our visitors.
Dr Gordon Rintoul, Director, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh.
© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without
permission is prohibited.
Posted by: tom mciver, San Diego on 9:55pm Thu 15 May 08
Mr Rintoul, I do hope you do not do to the Royal what was done to Kelvingrove! I visited the Royal on its last day before closure but have no (pardon the pun) history with the Royal so can't really comment. I enjoyed the party atmosphere but spent most of my day in the MoS, a splendid Museum.
Mr Rintoul, I do hope you do not do to the Royal what was done to Kelvingrove! I visited the Royal on its last day before closure but have no (pardon the pun) history with the Royal so can't really comment. I enjoyed the party atmosphere but spent most of my day in the MoS, a splendid Museum.
Posted by: Ian Johnston, Edinburgh on 12:13am Fri 16 May 08
Dr Rintoul's reassurance might carry more weight if his expert curatorial staff didn't have quite such a dismal track record in converting excellent displays to tawdry, patronising, over-interpreted rubbish.
And what about the goldfish?
Dr Rintoul's reassurance might carry more weight if his expert curatorial staff didn't have quite such a dismal track record in converting excellent displays to tawdry, patronising, over-interpreted rubbish.
And what about the goldfish?
Posted by: Hugh Kerr, Edinburgh on 8:08am Fri 16 May 08
I have a little more faith in the National Museum staff than Glasgows Labour numpties, having said that the Museum of Scotland the building is the star rather than the content.Like Ian Johnston I do hope they keep the goldfish and the wonderful atrium.
I have a little more faith in the National Museum staff than Glasgows Labour numpties, having said that the Museum of Scotland the building is the star rather than the content.Like Ian Johnston I do hope they keep the goldfish and the wonderful atrium.
Posted by: Ally, Motherwell on 8:22am Fri 16 May 08
To suggest that the museum has been the flagship of Scottish cultural life for 150 years is pushing the boat out a little too far. I have posed questions to the curatorial staff and have seen no evidence of expertise. Some months ago I wrote to the museum with comments which I think were apt. A reply or even an acknowledgment is still awaited.
To suggest that the museum has been the flagship of Scottish cultural life for 150 years is pushing the boat out a little too far. I have posed questions to the curatorial staff and have seen no evidence of expertise. Some months ago I wrote to the museum with comments which I think were apt. A reply or even an acknowledgment is still awaited.
Posted by: Scot in exile, England on 10:58am Fri 16 May 08
[quote][bold]Ian Johnston[/bold] wrote:
Dr Rintoul's reassurance might carry more weight if his expert curatorial staff didn't have quite such a dismal track record in converting excellent displays to tawdry, patronising, over-interpreted rubbish.
And what about the goldfish?[/quote] You would be surprised, or perhaps not, as to the number of hurdles and ''watering down' filters those self same curatorial staff have to fight through to get anything on display there. They are tasked with coming up with ideas which are then chewed and mangled by others through the process of penny-pinching and aiming at an audience level which would be far happier poking their fingers at the goldfish in the main hall rather than being frogmarched to explanatory labels in fancy colours...
The staff turnover figures for NMS speak for themselves in terms of what the expert curatorial staff amongst others think of the current climate there.
Ian Johnston wrote:
Dr Rintoul's reassurance might carry more weight if his expert curatorial staff didn't have quite such a dismal track record in converting excellent displays to tawdry, patronising, over-interpreted rubbish.
And what about the goldfish?
You would be surprised, or perhaps not, as to the number of hurdles and ''watering down' filters those self same curatorial staff have to fight through to get anything on display there. They are tasked with coming up with ideas which are then chewed and mangled by others through the process of penny-pinching and aiming at an audience level which would be far happier poking their fingers at the goldfish in the main hall rather than being frogmarched to explanatory labels in fancy colours...
The staff turnover figures for NMS speak for themselves in terms of what the expert curatorial staff amongst others think of the current climate there.
Posted by: Smeeagain, Lanarkshire on 12:42pm Fri 16 May 08
[quote][bold]tom mciver[/bold] wrote:
Mr Rintoul, I do hope you do not do to the Royal what was done to Kelvingrove! I visited the Royal on its last day before closure but have no (pardon the pun) history with the Royal so can't really comment. I enjoyed the party atmosphere but spent most of my day in the MoS, a splendid Museum.[/quote] Kelvingrove isn't the only Glasgow Museum to have suffered from dumbing down - take a look at the People's Palace and you will see the utimate in 10 second sound-bite approaches to the display of exhibits. As a child growing up in Glasgow visiting both these places filled me with wonderment at the multitude of subjects on show. Later, as a teenager, and then as a bored office junior, I would sneak off for the afternoon on 'site visits' and wander among fabulous paintings, dinosaurs and of course watch the bees! I developed a deep personal affection for Kelvingrove and recognise that it gave me an invaluable awarenes of a wide range of subjects - hopefully now being passed on to my own children. However, I am deeply saddened at the dumbing down and the loss of 'peaceful' space where one could just sit, look and learn.
Some posters have placed the blame on New Labour and some specifically on Bridget McConnell. Sorry, but the blame for the downward spiral, certainly in Glasgow Museums, lies squarely with Julian Spalding who not only instigated wholesale change - destruction might be going a little too far - but was instrumental in considerable numbers of highly experienced and committed staff leaving the museums department. Remember Elspeth King and Michael Donnelly? And they are only two high profile examples, there were many others who left. Wonder why two such dedicated people finally moved on - don't look too far!
Perhaps what we are seeing is merely a reflection of our sound-bite culture, but surely as a society we have a responsibility to encourage and foster more thoughtful and leisurely appreciation of our heritage?
tom mciver wrote:
Mr Rintoul, I do hope you do not do to the Royal what was done to Kelvingrove! I visited the Royal on its last day before closure but have no (pardon the pun) history with the Royal so can't really comment. I enjoyed the party atmosphere but spent most of my day in the MoS, a splendid Museum.
Kelvingrove isn't the only Glasgow Museum to have suffered from dumbing down - take a look at the People's Palace and you will see the utimate in 10 second sound-bite approaches to the display of exhibits. As a child growing up in Glasgow visiting both these places filled me with wonderment at the multitude of subjects on show. Later, as a teenager, and then as a bored office junior, I would sneak off for the afternoon on 'site visits' and wander among fabulous paintings, dinosaurs and of course watch the bees! I developed a deep personal affection for Kelvingrove and recognise that it gave me an invaluable awarenes of a wide range of subjects - hopefully now being passed on to my own children. However, I am deeply saddened at the dumbing down and the loss of 'peaceful' space where one could just sit, look and learn.
Some posters have placed the blame on New Labour and some specifically on Bridget McConnell. Sorry, but the blame for the downward spiral, certainly in Glasgow Museums, lies squarely with Julian Spalding who not only instigated wholesale change - destruction might be going a little too far - but was instrumental in considerable numbers of highly experienced and committed staff leaving the museums department. Remember Elspeth King and Michael Donnelly? And they are only two high profile examples, there were many others who left. Wonder why two such dedicated people finally moved on - don't look too far!
Perhaps what we are seeing is merely a reflection of our sound-bite culture, but surely as a society we have a responsibility to encourage and foster more thoughtful and leisurely appreciation of our heritage?
Posted by: Ian Johnston, Castle Douglas on 1:58pm Fri 16 May 08
[quote][bold]Smeeagain[/bold] wrote: As a child growing up in Glasgow visiting both these places filled me with wonderment at the multitude of subjects on show.[/quote]
I'll bet I am not the only one who remembers and laments the wonderful Haggs Castle musuem for children...
Smeeagain wrote: As a child growing up in Glasgow visiting both these places filled me with wonderment at the multitude of subjects on show.
I'll bet I am not the only one who remembers and laments the wonderful Haggs Castle musuem for children...
Posted by: Smeeagain, Lanarkshire on 5:39pm Fri 16 May 08
[quote][bold]Ian Johnston[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Smeeagain[/bold] wrote: As a child growing up in Glasgow visiting both these places filled me with wonderment at the multitude of subjects on show.[/quote] I'll bet I am not the only one who remembers and laments the wonderful Haggs Castle musuem for children...[/quote] Add to that Camphill Museum in Queen's Park, now 'luxury flats overl.ooking five-a-side football pitches on what used to be fine tennis courts! And where are the pitch & put courses; the rowing boats? If Eat Renfrewshire can keep this going at Rouken Glen park - and remember RG used to be run by Glasgow?
Ian Johnston wrote:
Smeeagain wrote: As a child growing up in Glasgow visiting both these places filled me with wonderment at the multitude of subjects on show.
I'll bet I am not the only one who remembers and laments the wonderful Haggs Castle musuem for children...
Add to that Camphill Museum in Queen's Park, now 'luxury flats overl.ooking five-a-side football pitches on what used to be fine tennis courts! And where are the pitch & put courses; the rowing boats? If Eat Renfrewshire can keep this going at Rouken Glen park - and remember RG used to be run by Glasgow?
Features
INDEX
Comment | Read Comments (8)
