The C Word

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Come along on a roadtrip to the Isle of Man with Jenny and Kloe! We take the ferry across the water, stay in an eco-friendly yurt village, and tour the island’s heritage sites: we go behind the scenes with the Manx National Heritage conservators and enjoy the local sites. Special thanks to Chris Weeks and Emma Le Cornu for inviting us over! (Varied audio quality ahead, folks.)

00:00:55 Exploring the ferry and eating waffles on deck
00:02:13 Arriving in the eco village
00:04:50 Breakfast time!
00:05:31 Manx Museum
00:14:52 They found us!
00:23:30 Climate change
00:24:57 Sites to see on the island
00:29:24 Back in the conservation studio
00:48:26 Meeting Peggy
01:00:15 Snooping around the museum store
01:05:35 Exploring the archival side
01:14:00 Jenny spots a mysterious box
01:17:25 Peeking in the textiles store
01:18:57 Castletown in the rain
01:21:15 Cregneash village
01:25:00 Day out in Peel with Emma
01:29:27 Summing up our Saturday by the fire
01:30:35 Checking out
01:32:13 Laxey, big wheels and going under ground
01:39:47 Grove Museum of Victorian Life
01:50:38 Afternoon tea in Bride and a failed beach visit
01:53:39 Milntown Estate and Gardens
02:02:13 Back to the ferry

Show Notes:
– The ferry: https://www.steam-packet.com/ourvessels/ben-my-chree
– Where Jenny and Kloe stayed: https://www.sabasglenyurt.com/
– Manx Museum: https://manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/manx-museum/
– Speed and Light exhibition: https://manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on/detail/speed-and-light-a-painted-journey-around-the-world-famous-isle-of-man-tt-course/
– Conservation of the giant deer skeleton: https://manxnationalheritage.im/collections/conservation/conservation-of-the-giant-deer-skeleton/
– Illiam Dhone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illiam_Dhone
– Manx cat breed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_cat
– Manx National Heritage: https://manxnationalheritage.im/
– Culture Vannin: https://culturevannin.im/
– Learn Manx Gaelic: https://www.learnmanx.com/
– Isle of Man TT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man_TT
– Conservation of the Laxey Wheel: https://manxnationalheritage.im/news-2-2
– The world’s largest slug: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-14617478
– Wild wallabies: https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2021-10-13/the-mystery-of-the-wild-wallabies-living-on-the-isle-of-man
– IMuseum: https://www.imuseum.im/
– Vida La Fierce: https://bearworldmag.com/anthony-meets-miss-vida-la-fierce/
– Zenzie Tinker Conservation: https://www.zenzietinker.co.uk/
– Archibald Knox: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Knox_(designer)
– Peggy on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peggy_of_Castletown
– Peggy on Manx Heritage: https://manxnationalheritage.im/collections/conservation/news-2/
– Peggy’s paint analysis: https://www.lincolnconservation.co.uk/projects/the-18th-century-sailing-yacht-peggy/
– Inergen fire suppression system: https://www.firesuppression.co.uk/inergen.aspx
– Thermoskyships: https://www.airshipsonline.com/sheds/Jurby.htm
– The Parish Walk: https://www.parishwalk.com/
– Nautical Museum: https://manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/nautical-museum/
– Cregneash: https://manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/cregneash/
– Peel castle: https://manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/peel-castle/
– Viking longboat races: https://www.visitiom.co.uk/events/world-championships/world-championship-viking-longboat-races/
– House of Manannan: https://manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/house-of-manannan/
– Traders of the Lost Arts exhibition: https://manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on/detail/traders-of-the-lost-arts-an-exhibition/
– Davison’s ice cream: https://davisons.co.im/
– Trams: https://manxelectricrailway.co.uk/current-timetable/
– Laxey Wheel: https://manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/laxey-wheel/
– Grove Museum of Victorian Life: https://manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/grove-museum-of-victorian-life/
– Bride Tea Rooms and Bistro: https://bridetearooms.weebly.com/
– Point of Are: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_Ayre
– Milntown: https://www.milntown.org/

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson and Kloe Rumsey.

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A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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We’re joined by Tom Hopkins and Louise McAward-White from Fair Museum Jobs as we grab the imaginary tin opener and get into one of our favourite cans of worms: zero hour contracts! We unpick what they are, how they’re used in the heritage sector, why they’re problematic, and how we can do better.

00:01:33 What is exactly is a zero hours contract?
00:11:00 Examples of when they’re used
00:16:27 Which precarity is easier to manage?
00:18:48 The toll of constant job hopping on people
00:26:11 Conservation examples of ‘casual’ contracts
00:37:31 The advert that sparked this whole episode
00:50:25 Join your union!
00:55:47 How we can influence things for the better
00:57:21 Feedback from Icon and what professional bodies can do
01:06:03 Kloe’s fury
01:09:12 Patreon shout-out

Show Notes:
– Fair Museum Jobs: https://fairmuseumjobs.org/
– Go follow Fair Museum Jobs on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fair_jobs
– UK government guidance on zero hours contracts: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/zero-hours-contracts-guidance-for-employers/zero-hours-contracts-guidance-for-employers and https://www.gov.uk/contract-types-and-employer-responsibilities/zero-hour-contracts
– Real Living Wage: https://www.livingwage.org.uk/what-real-living-wage
– Original V&A advert: https://app.vacancy-filler.co.uk/salescrm/Careers/CareersPage.aspx?e=LMo8nnTwYNYfjktgP-fk0v6HGHzjT7BnKoEpbcWUTJ9HNxQKjRUu0bwwoQNJy93jy5HLY4Ds_WQ&iframe=false&HideCareersLink=true
– PDF copy of V&A advert: https://thecword.show/podcast/ConservationZeroHourWorkerPoolAdvert.pdf
– Museum Freelance report: https://fairmuseumjobs.org/resources/
– Icon strategy: https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/icon-strategy.html
– Icon Salaries Survey 2022: https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/conservation-salaries-survey-2022.html

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, Tom Hopkins and Louise McAward-White.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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Join us for our triennial Icon conference special: an all online experience this time! Jenny tries to get into the spirit with croissants and rubbish coffee while Kloe is enjoying being able to multitask and dyeing fabrics while listening in. Also tune in for some impressions from the recent AIC conference.

04:32 Reaching out for recognition as a theme
08:50 Conference prices in the sector
10:17 Kloe is confused by tech
12:46 Catching up at the end of day one
17:12 Gearing up for day two
21:54 The unexpected blessing of being alone
22:31 Barely having time to eat lunch – a conference classic!
24:21 Round-up at end of day two
29:57 Feedback systems and our niggles
36:18 AIC conference interviews
45:56 Patreon shout out

Show Notes:
– Icon triennial conference programme 2022: https://www.icon.org.uk/about-us/our-work/icon-conferences/icon-conference-2022-reaching-out-for-recognition.html
– S05E08 #Icon19 Conference Special: https://thecword.show/2019/06/26/s05e08-icon19-conference-special/
– Example of people who caption events: https://www.stagetext.org/
– APOYOnline network: https://apoyonline.org/en_US/
– Twitter conference hashtag search: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23IconReachOut22&src=typed_query
– AIC at 50 conference: https://www.culturalheritage.org/events/annual-meeting/current-meeting

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson and Kloe Rumsey.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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Together with special guest host Bill Hawkes we continue the topic of shiny things: metals! This time dealing with small objects and shiny trinkets. Kloe talks to Dr Eric Nordgren about archaeological metals, and Jenny reviews ‘Histories of Conservation and Art History in Modern Europe’ as well.

00:01:27 From jewellery shops to the conservation workbench
00:05:20 Towards a sustainable alternative to silver dips
00:10:08 Values around tarnished surfaces
00:17:59 Advancements in modern metallurgy
00:22:03 The tricky nature of surfaces
00:27:08 The beauty of corrosion
00:30:11 From boring to fascinating to dangerous metals
00:36:28 Gemstones galore
00:40:22 Repair methods
00:44:55 Quills, thorns, feathers, and the common cocktail stick!
00:47:05 Interview with Dr Eric Nordgren
01:02:17 Review: Histories of Conservation and Art History in Modern Europe

Show Notes:
– S10E06 Metals (Part 1): https://thecword.show/2021/11/24/s10e06-metals-part-1/
– Bill’s website: https://www.williamhawkes.co.uk/
– West Dean College’s metalwork conservation specialism: https://www.westdean.org.uk/study/specialisms/metalwork
– S10E03 Career Changes: https://thecword.show/2021/10/13/s10e03-career-changes/
– How silver dips work: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/care-silver.html
– Argentium silver: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentium_sterling_silver
– Rhodium plating: https://www.jewelryshoppingguide.com/everything-about-rhodium-plating/
– An example of the kind of toy restoration videos Jenny watches (warning, this is OTT!): https://www.youtube.com/c/baremetalHW/videos or https://www.youtube.com/c/RescueRestore
– The Twitter thread mentioned: https://twitter.com/amaliasl/status/1523420586495516673
– Gemstone chemistry: https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/06/29/what-causes-the-colour-of-gemstones/
– Thorn usage in conservation: http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/conservation-journal/using-thorns-to-conserve-the-hoard.html
– Eric Nordgren: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/2599291-nordgren-eric
– Histories of Conservation and Art History in Modern Europe: https://www.routledge.com/Histories-of-Conservation-and-Art-History-in-Modern-Europe/Dupre-Boulboulle/p/book/9780367650070

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and William Hawkes.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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Together with special guest hosts Claire Fry and Lorraine Finch we take a walk on the private practice side of conservation: what’s it like starting and running a business? Kloe has a zillion questions as Jenny airs her insecurities as a new business owner, while Claire and Lorraine share their entrepreneurial insights with us all. From networking to number crunching, we cover a lot of ground in this one!

00:01:50 How many conservators are self-employed?
00:07:04 The value of business support
00:14:24 Support structures: financial and emotional
00:18:36 You make the rules – and ALL the decisions
00:22:02 Insurance, cash flow, and pensions
00:28:12 Taxes and the joys of accountancy
00:32:48 Getting your name out there
00:40:05 Estimates don’t last forever
00:42:33 Value your work, expertise, and time
00:47:22 Working with others
00:54:31 What’s the best thing about running a business?
00:55:17 Quick addendum

Show Notes:
– Find Claire on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/clairefry1
– Spencer and Fry: https://www.spencerandfry.co.uk/
– Lorraine Finch: https://lfcp.co.uk/ and https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-finch-8ba97540
– Jenny’s business: https://kuriosa.co.uk/
– Find support in your local area: https://www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline
– Business & IP Centre: https://www.bl.uk/business-and-ip-centre
– Natwest Women in Business Support: https://www.natwest.com/business/business-services/women-in-business.html
– S02E03 Freelancing: https://thecword.show/2017/09/22/s02e03-freelancing/
– Jenny’s insurance broker: https://www.artinsurance.co.uk/
– Nest pensions: https://www.nestpensions.org.uk/
– Aviva pension for the self-employed: https://www.aviva.co.uk/retirement/retirement-planning/self-employed-pension/
– Xero accounting software: https://www.xero.com/uk/
– The Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com/
– Museum Freelance report: https://fairmuseumjobs.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/36a00-museumfreelancesurveyfindingsandinsight2020.pdf
– Running a community interest company in conservation: https://natsca.blog/2021/12/16/starting-a-social-business-connect-conserve-cyswllt-cadwraeth-cymru/
– Lorraine’s book: https://lfcp.co.uk/publications/

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, Lorraine Finch, and Claire Fry.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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We’re joined by special guest host and public engagement champion Clare Lawlor as we talk about learning in museums and at heritage sites. How do we talk to kids about difficult topics? What kind of learning spaces do we have access to? And what kind of magic happens when conservators and learning colleagues work together? Also tune in for a review of ‘The Conservation of Medieval Polychrome Wood Sculpture’ and an interview with Jessica England from GEM.

02:10 Definitions and the importance of young visitors
09:13 Jenny’s little museum shop anecdote
11:46 Making learning visible
13:51 Talking to kids about heavy topics
20:22 Working with conservation on new galleries
28:51 Learning spaces
40:22 Kloe and Jenny’s experiences of working with learning teams
47:47 Interview with Jessica England
51:29 Review: The Conservation of Medieval Polychrome Wood Sculpture

Show Notes:
– Follow Clare on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Clare_Lawlor
– Imperial War Museums: https://www.iwm.org.uk/
– Learning with IWM: https://www.iwm.org.uk/learning
– S07E04 Working with Techs: https://thecword.show/2020/05/27/s07e04-working-with-techs/
– S09E01 Working with Front of House: https://thecword.show/2021/03/24/s09e01-working-with-front-of-house/
– S10E02 Working with Curators: https://thecword.show/2021/09/29/s10e02-working-with-curators/
– The new Holocaust galleries mentioned: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/the-holocaust-galleries
– S02E08 Food: https://thecword.show/2017/11/29/s02e08-food/
– GEM: https://gem.org.uk/
– The Conservation of Medieval Polychrome Wood Sculpture – History, Theory, Practice: https://shop.getty.edu/products/the-conservation-of-medieval-polychrome-wood-sculpture-history-theory-practice-978-1606066553

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Clare Lawlor.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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Together with special guest hosts Dr David Leigh and Dr Isobel Griffin we delve into the world of conservation standards: what are they, how do they come into being, and how are we using them? Kloe also talks to Jane Henderson about the importance of having many voices in the room and when people might start waving pitchforks around, and Jenny reviews ‘Greener Solvents in Conservation.’

00:03:01 Standards in day-to-day life as well as conservation
00:07:47 The birth of a standard
00:15:04 Reviews and the implications
00:17:53 Standards in the pipeline
00:23:03 Diversity in decision making
00:29:18 How to access standards for FREE
00:33:59 Professional standards or codes of practice vs established standards
00:36:29 The bewildering array of information in the world
00:42:45 Come contribute!
00:43:02 Interview with Jane Henderson
00:58:45 Review: Greener Solvents in Conservation – An Introductory Guide
01:03:58 Patreon shout-out

Show Notes:
– B/560 Conservation of Tangible Cultural Heritage committee: https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/committees/50001857
– British Standards Institute: https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/
– European Standards: https://www.en-standard.eu/
– Swedish Institute for Standards: https://www.sis.se/en/
– Standards bodies definition and list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standards_organization
– Helen Hughes on working on standards: https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/helen-hughes-acr-working-on-site-during-coronavirus.html
– Icon Documentation Network: https://www.icon.org.uk/groups-and-networks/documentation-network.html
– Greatest hits book: https://www.beuth.de/en/publication/din-handbook-410/308401223
– Icon professional standards: https://www.icon.org.uk/resources/resources-for-conservation-professionals/standards-and-ethics/icon-professional-standards.html
– What conservation standards are: https://www.icon.org.uk/resources/resources-for-conservation-professionals/standards-and-ethics/conservation-standards.html
– ISO Standards: https://www.iso.org/standards.html
– Spectrum collections management standard: https://collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrum/
– GIS standards: https://www.gistandards.eu/gis-standards/
– Royal Society of Chemistry Analytical Methods Committee: https://www.rsc.org/membership-and-community/connect-with-others/through-interests/divisions/analytical/amc/
– ASHRAE handbook for engineers: https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/ashrae-handbook
– AIC Wiki: https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Main_Page
– CCI Notes: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes.html
– More on standards regarding built heritage: https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/standards/standards.htm
– The Pitfalls and Possibilities of Standardisation (talk by Jane Henderson): https://markk-hamburg.de/from-conservation-to-conversation/workshop-contributions/
– James Acaster on the absurdity of the British Empire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x73PkUvArJY
– S08E03 Returning Cultural Objects: https://thecword.show/2020/10/14/s08e03-returning-cultural-objects/
– Buy ‘Greener Solvents in Conservation’ from the publisher: https://archetype.co.uk/our-titles/greener-solvents-in-conservation/?id=380
– Download ‘Greener Solvents in Conservation’ for FREE: https://www.siconserve.org/greener-solvents/greener-solvents-hand-book/

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, David Leigh, and Isobel Griffin.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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With the help of special guest host Lisa Mol we talk about the impact of war and conflict on heritage: from stone research and training initiatives and all the way to saving Ukrainian digital heritage en-masse. We’re also joined by Emma Cunliffe from Blue Shield, Sarah Stannage from IIC, and Richard Mulholland from Northumbria University as we discuss what’s being done already and try to figure out how we can all help.

00:01:31 Explosives meet geology
00:05:50 Training over intervention
00:10:58 Priorities in war and its aftermath
00:16:13 Interview with Emma Cunliffe at Blue Shield
00:27:13 When is damage itself heritage?
00:32:08 Saving Ukraine’s digital heritage
00:37:58 Looting
00:43:44 Interview with Sarah Stannage from IIC
00:50:13 Other funding, support and resources re: Ukraine
00:51:21 Addendum time!
00:53:05 Comfort-a-Conservator
00:55:59 Interview with Richard Mulholland
01:07:45 Go forth and do good

Show Notes:
– Heritage in the Crossfire: https://www.heritageinthecrossfire.com/
– Get in touch with Dr Lisa Mol: https://people.uwe.ac.uk/Person/LisaMol
– S01E10 Salvage: https://thecword.show/2017/07/05/s01e10-salvage/
– Blue Shield International: https://theblueshield.org/
– Blue Shield UK: http://ukblueshield.org.uk/
– Emma’s blog entry about her new book: https://boydellandbrewer.com/blog/heraldry-and-genealogy/safeguarding-cultural-property-in-the-1954-hague-convention-all-possible-steps/
– ‘Safeguarding Cultural Property and the 1954 Hague Convention’ by Emma Cunliffe and Paul Fox: https://boydellandbrewer.com/9781783276660/safeguarding-cultural-property-and-the-1954-hague-convention/
– Examples of churches in Europe left in ruin after WW2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ruins_of_churches_destroyed_during_World_War_II
– Frederik Rosén’s publication list (as mentioned by Lisa): https://www.heritageconflict.org/frederik
– Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online (SUCHO): https://www.sucho.org/
– Iraq Museum Looting 15 Years On: https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/04/10/iraq-museum-looting–15-years-on.html
– IIC Opportunities Fund: https://www.iiconservation.org/about/awards/opportunities
– IIC official Ukraine update page: https://www.iiconservation.org/content/how-ukraine-moving-protect-its-cultural-heritage-updated-22-march-2022
– Nordiska Museet fund for Ukrainian museums: https://www.nordiskamuseet.se/artiklar/ekonomisk-insamling-att-radda-ukrainas-kulturarv
– Call for supplies for Ukrainian heritage protection: https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/supplies-needed-to-protect-ukraine-s-cultural-heritage.html
– Icon’s Support for Ukraine page: https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/support-for-ukraine-conserving-cultural-heritage.html
– Icon’s Ukraine event on March 24th 2022: https://www.icon.org.uk/events/ukraine-supporting-cultural-heritage-and-conservation-colleagues.html
– About Richard’s work: https://research.northumbria.ac.uk/VisualMaterialCultures/?page_id=534
– Richard’s paper in Studies in Conservation: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epub/10.1080/00393630.2022.2025706?needAccess=true

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Lisa Mol.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

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Let’s get into the festive spirit with our special co-host Anna Ploszajski as we explore festive facts, Christmas chemistry, and merry materials! We make some predictions for the year ahead, and of course there’s a collections themed holiday song to bob along to. Happy holidays!

00:02:43 Hideous treasures all around us
00:11:13 Christmas tree decorations – old and new!
00:22:31 Tinsel themed nightmares
00:26:42 Lights, candles, and twinkly stuff
00:34:25 Tableware for days
00:40:21 Cakes and puddings
00:42:34 Christmas crackers
00:49:10 Fake snow and leaky snowglobes
00:53:23 Last year’s predictions and ones for 2022
01:01:11 Rocking Around the Christmas Tree (Museum Version)

Show Notes:
– Find out more about Anna’s work: https://www.annaploszajski.com/
– The aroma of Christmas trees: https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/12/19/christmastrees/
– Mr Bean vs the ornaments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W91IK06uv5E
– The evolution of tinsel: http://www.compoundchem.com/2017advent/2017advent24/
– How silvering is achieved: https://www.compoundchem.com/2017/09/06/silver-mirror/
– S09E05 Dynamic Objects: https://thecword.show/2021/05/19/s09e05-dynamic-objects/
– S02E08 Food: https://thecword.show/2017/11/29/s02e08-food/
– V&A blog about the history of crackers: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-christmas-cracker
– Christmas cracker chemistry: https://www.compoundchem.com/2013/12/24/christmas-cracker-chemistry/
– How wrapping paper is made: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Wrapping-Paper.html
– Fake snow chemistry: https://www.compoundchem.com/2017advent/2017advent7/
– Museum Freelance network closes: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2021/11/museum-freelance-network-to-close/
– Go buy Anna’s book: https://www.annaploszajski.com/book
– Jenny reviewing Anna’s book in a previous episode: https://thecword.show/2021/05/19/s09e05-dynamic-objects/

***

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree: the Museum Version (lyrics by Jenny Mathiasson and Morgan Fox; vocals by Skye)

Skulkin’ around the gallery
At the Christmas working do
Watching for spills that you can see
Or objects gone askew

Walkin’ around the Christmas tree
Let pheromone pest traps swing
Later we’ll sneak some extra tea
And we’ll do some tidying

You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear
Voices going, where’s that dolly?
Pop that object on this trolley

Wrappin’ things up in acid free
For a popular display
Everyone chattin’ happily
Raiding gift shop and cafe

You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear
Voices going, where’s that dolly?
Pop that object on this trolley

Walkin’ around our objects store
Seein’ a thing not put away
Finally hoovering the floor
Roll on the holiday!

***

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Anna Ploszajski.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

MP3 Audio [50 MB]M4A Audio (MPEG-4 AAC) [33 MB]Ogg Vorbis Audio [43 MB]Opus Audio (Smallest File Size!) [16 MB]JPEG Image [498 KB]DownloadShow URL

Sometimes museums just can’t keep everything – so what happens then? Together with guest host Emma Duggan we explore both the practicalities and our feelings around objects leaving collections. Also tune in for an interview with Ian Channell and Abigail Johnson from Epping Forest District Museum about their museum’s rationalisation journey.

00:01:58 Our experiences with rationalisation of collections
00:07:17 Why might something leave a collection?
00:10:48 Taking in objects with limited life spans
00:15:17 Knowing what you’ve got
00:23:07 Resources and guidance
00:25:56 Where does conservation fit into this?
00:29:45 Scrutiny of the public and people’s opinions
00:34:38 Interview: Ian Channell and Abigail Johnson
01:01:00 Bite-sized is fine
01:06:28 The issue of institutional memory
01:09:30 We can’t collect like we used to
01:18:49 Language matters – what do we call this process?
01:20:35 Finding new homes for objects

Show Notes:
– S09E02 Extreme Storage: https://thecword.show/2021/04/07/s09e02-extreme-storage/
– An example of why selling your collection is a bad idea: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northampton_Sekhemka_statue
– Museums Association Disposal Tool Kit: https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/collections/disposal-toolkit/
– Collections Trust resource page on deaccessioning and disposal: https://collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrum-resources/deaccession-and-disposal/
– The sculpture Emma mentioned: https://wellcomecollection.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/perspectives-i-cant-help-the-way-i-feel/
– S08E03 Returning Cultural Objects: https://thecword.show/2020/10/14/s08e03-returning-cultural-objects/
– Epping Forest District Museum: https://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/museum/
– Press release for Rationalisation Project: https://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/museum/exciting-new-project-for-museums-collection/
– Article from Museums Essex about the project: https://museums-essex.org/2021/06/16/relevance-rationalise-and-recycle-epping-forest-district-museum-project/
– S02E01 Danger, Danger: https://thecword.show/2017/08/23/s02e01-danger-danger/
– Find-an-Object: https://www.museumsassociation.org/find-an-object/

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Emma Duggan.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.