Museums training programme
Supporting skills development within the sector
Our training offer
Working with a network of over 140 UK Regimental & Corps Museums and international partners, we deliver a free annual training programme that encourages skills development within the sector, and explores the benefits of networking and sharing expertise in working with Army collections.
While our training is free for those working or volunteering in Regimental & Corps Museums, our courses are currently charged at £50 for a half day, £100 for a full day, and £450 for our week-long Regimental Curators’ Course, for those wishing to attend from outside the sector.
Please note that all volunteer bookings need to come direct from your volunteer-supervisor.
If you have any enquiries regarding the training programme, please contact Julian Farrance (jfarrance@nam.ac.uk).
National Army Museum Conference 2025
Date: Monday, 28 April 2025
Time: 10.30am – 4.25pm
Location: National Army Museum, London / Online (Zoom)
Join us, either in person or virtually, for the 8th annual National Army Museum Conference. The day will be packed with presentations on museum best practice, relevant projects and initiatives, as well as Army Museum sector updates. The event also provides an excellent opportunity to network with other UK Regimental & Corps Museum professionals. A full programme of speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.
When booking, please indicate (under 'Additional requirements') whether you wish to attend in person or via Zoom.
Regimental Curators’ Course
Date: Tuesday, 29 April - Friday, 2 May 2025
Location: National Army Museum, London
This four-day training course covers various aspects of museum best practice and working with Army collections, and is open to staff, volunteers and trustees working in Regimental & Corps Museums.
Topics covered during the week include an introduction to preventative conservation, learning services, marketing for military museums, research and archives, photo identification, exhibitions, collections care and management, and much more.
Imperial Legacies: Curating Your Colonial Collections (Northern Region)
Date: Tuesday, 6 May 2025
Time: 10.30am – 4.00pm
Location: Museum of Liverpool
This full-day workshop is aimed at helping those museums interested in developing the interpretation and display of their colonial collections. Focused heavily on practical work, the session will look at how to create co-production projects based on shared heritage and the telling of contentious histories. Delivered by Chris Berriman and Freya Samuel.
Chemical Hazards Bitesize
Date: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Time: 10.30am – 11.30am
Location: Online (Zoom)
This one-hour bitesize session will focus on chemical hazards in collections and how we can handle and display them safely and securely. We will be discussing what to be aware of regarding chemicals, heavy metals, historic pesticides and more, and will discuss the dangers they may present.
Disposals Training
Date: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm
Location: Online (Zoom)
Join our Head of Collections Standards and Care and learn about our process of collections disposals. We will cover appropriate documentation, Spectrum and accreditation compliance, legal considerations and ethical methods of disposal, including the right paths to sale, destruction and repatriation.
Edged and Offensive Weapons for the Museum Curator
Date: Tuesday, 3 June 2025
Time: 10.30am – 3.00pm
Location: Royal Armouries, Leeds
Designed to complement the Curator’s Firearms Course, this is a one-day course delivered at the Royal Armouries in Leeds (limited to 10 delegates).
This course is aimed at museum professionals and is designed to address concerns about all manner of bladed articles and offensive weapons – from batons through knives to swords.
It will look at the historical landscape and what legislation is currently in force, what material is covered by legislation and, most importantly, how this affects museums and those who visit them. The course will also look at the conservation of such pieces.
Edged and Offensive Weapons for the Museum Curator
Date: Thursday, 5 June 2025
Time: 10.30am – 3.00pm
Location: National Army Museum, London
Designed to complement the Curator’s Firearms Course, this is a one-day course delivered at the National Army Museum in London.
This course is aimed at museum professionals and is designed to address concerns about all manner of bladed articles and offensive weapons – from batons through knives to swords.
It will look at the historical landscape and what legislation is currently in force, what material is covered by legislation and, most importantly, how this affects museums and those who visit them. The course will also look at the conservation of such pieces.
Army 101 Scotland
Date: Thursday, 26 June 2025
Time: 10.30am – 4.00pm
Location: The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh
If you’re new into the world of military museums, if you’ve never known the difference between a regiment and a battalion, or why officers are promoted along one track and other ranks along another, then this is the course for you. We will examine the basics of army structure, uniforms, weapons and medals, and try to break down the myriad of military mysteries during this full-day course.
Managing Our Information: Archives, Libraries and Information Management
Date: Monday, 30 June 2025
Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm
Location: National Army Museum, London
Join us for a full-day workshop looking at the information held within museums. With a mixture of shared experiences, good practice and behind-the-scenes tours, the National Army Museum team will cover archive, library and information issues, ranging from information security and data protection, to archive and library management, to displays and providing access to collections.
