Appointments
Glasgow Life is set to replace its Head of Museums and Collections after Duncan Dornan announces his retirement following nine years in the role. Dornan initially joined as Senior Museums Manager before becoming Head of Glasgow Life Museums in 2015. He will step down next month.
Head of Glasgow Life Museums and Collections announces retirement
Manchester Jewish Museum is set to undergo a leadership change as Alex Cropper, its long-serving Curator and Deputy Chief Executive, prepares to step down after more than 16 years in the role. Cropper will be succeeded by Joshua Jones, who brings experience from notable institutions such as Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum and Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum.
Manchester Jewish Museum’s Curator and Deputy Chief Exec to step down
The Holburne Museum in Bath has appointed five new Directors of the Board: Mark Astaire, Lesley Exley, Steve Hyde, Lydia Lee and Mervyn Metcalf.Astaire has worked in investment banking for more than 35 years, and has a variety of roles including being a member of the Sky News Board. He is the founder of the Astaire Art Prize in association with the Edinburgh College of Art. Exley is an experienced CEO, Advisor and Non-Executive Director in the retail, luxury, music, arts and culture space. Hyde has been the V&A’s Head of Estate for the past 12 years, responsible for maintaining, conserving and developing the estate of the museum. Lee has spent the last few years as Fundraising Director of the National Trust, and has held Trustee and Advisory roles with War Child UK and London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT). Metcalf is an alumnus of London School of Economics, has over 30 years of investment banking experience, and is a Trustee to the board of an educational charity and BBC Media Action, one of only two BBC charities.
Claire Spencer, the Barbican Centre’s Chief Executive Officer, is to step down from the role. David Farnsworth will continue to act as the Barbican’s Interim CEO, supported by Ali Mirza as Interim Deputy CEO and the rest of the Barbican’s Director team. Spencer joined in the newly created role in 2022.
Openings & closures
A new Marines Museum is a step closer to reality as the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) secures its first round of funding for the project at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Plans revealed for Royal Marines Museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Royal Cornwall Museum has reopened its Mineral Gallery after it was shut at the start of this year. Home to more than a million artefacts, it has undergone a transformation funded in part by £476,000 from Truro’s Town Deal Board and Cornwall Council. The newly developed space is divided into three narrative zones. The Orientation Zone introduces the core themes of the gallery, the North Zone is focused on mineral samples and the Digital Lab offers visitors an immersive experience covering mining, minerals, and rock.
Exhibitions
Tate St Ives is to open the first major UK exhibition of Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, a Polish Romani artist known for colourful textile collages. Over 25 works will be displayed, including new pieces and three from Tate’s collection. The exhibition features portraits, reimagined historical artworks, and a monumental fabric panel from the 59th Venice Biennale. ‘Małgorzata Mirga-Tas’ runs 19 October 2024 – 5 January 2025.
Carlisle’s Tullie Museum has launched ‘Backing the Blues: 120 Years of Carlisle United’ this week, despite being officially closed. The exhibition marks the local football club’s 120th anniversary, and features rare artefacts, including behind-the-scenes film, a CUFC-themed wedding dress, and a Gordon Young sculpture. The exhibition is part of a larger National Lottery Heritage Fund project and will include family activities, tours, and special events. Runs until November 10 2024.
The Foundling Museum in London has a new exhibition focussed on Elizabeth Legh, the first collector of Handel’s music and a skilled harpsichordist. Legh acquired Handel’s works promptly after composition and owned music books and instruments. ‘Elizabeth Legh: Lover of Musick & All Ingenious Things’ showcases items from Legh’s unique collection, including a detail from her will. Runs until 2 February 2025.
The Museum of the Home has opened seven new recreations of domestic rooms across the ages this week. A Tenement Flat from 1913, a High-rise Flat set in 2005, and a converted flat set in 2049 are now open at the museum, adding to its five existing rooms which spanned 1630 to 1830.
The National Trust’s Nostell in West Yorkshire is hosting an exhibition titled “Behind the Walls,” exploring the life of Sabine Winn (1734-1798), lady of the house from 1765 until her death. The exhibition focuses on Sabine’s struggles, including language barriers, strained family relationships, and health concerns, while managing a grand country house in the 18th century. Visitors can explore Sabine’s personal letters, books, and a newly acquired miniature portrait, along with installations in her Dressing Room and a Mindfulness Trail in the parkland.
The Wallace Collection is presenting an exhibition of five timepieces by André-Charles Boulle, exploring the art and science of timekeeping in the Baroque era. The display showcases Boulle’s innovative clock designs, incorporating luxurious materials and complex iconography, created in collaboration with leading clockmakers and artists of 18th-century Paris. The exhibition opens ahead of an international conference on Boulle to be held at the Wallace Collection in early 2025.
Two new exhibitions, ‘Making Waves’ and ‘Courage and Community’ have opened to celebrate the RNLI’s 200 years of lifesaving work along the Welsh coast. The exhibitions will feature lifeboats, interactive displays, and stories of RNLI volunteers. Making Waves at the National Waterfront Museum and ‘Courage and Community’ will run until March 16, 2025, and June 1, 2025, respectively.
