Museums training programme

The National Army Museum coordinates training opportunities in best practice for museums throughout the UK and internationally.

Working with a network of over 140 UK Regimental & Corps Museums and international partners, we deliver an annual training programme that encourages skills development and explores the benefits of networking and sharing expertise in working with Army collections. Museums outside this network can also book onto our programme for a fee.

Effective Emergency Planning and Salvage Course

Monday, 8 August 2022, 10.00am – 3.30pm
London

This course will be delivered by Harwell Restoration and is scheduled to take place in person. This seminar is aimed at those who have had emergency plans in place for several years but are keen on conducting a review to ensure that the content will work effectively if ever implemented. With a combination of presentations and exercises, participants will be encouraged to scrutinise their plan, emergency management structure and identify strategies for improvement where necessary.
 
For anyone wishing to write an emergency plan it will also function well as an introduction to the topic and cover the fundamental content required for a robust and resilient contingency document. The day will also cover key elements of salvage techniques for dealing with damaged objects and provide blueprints for extending the training within attendees' organisations.

Museum Volunteer Recruitment and Management

Tuesday, 9 August 2022, 10.00am – 1.30pm
Zoom

This virtual training course will cover resources and tips for volunteer recruitment, the legal differences between staff and volunteers, as well as volunteer management approaches from the perspective of Regimental Museums.

Introduction to Preventative Conservation

Thursday, 1 September 2022, 10.00am – 3.00pm
National Army Museum, London

This course will provide an introduction to how objects deteriorate, object handling, environmental monitoring, different materials found in museum collections and will also include practical exercises on how to carry out a condition check and object labelling. All materials will be provided.

The course is for museum staff and volunteers who are seeking to have a basic overview of preventative conservation. It will be delivered by Drakon Heritage, an Institute of Conservation (ICON) accredited member.

Introduction to Modes

Monday, 5 September 2022, 10.30am – 12.30pm – FULLY BOOKED
Zoom

This live training session will be held on Zoom and will be an introductory/refresher course for both novice and existing Modes users working with military collections. The session will cover a brief overview of using Modes, searching in Modes, documenting medals and photographs (creating a record about an object with an image) and will also include a Q&A session.

This course will be delivered over Zoom by Nick Pearce-Smith, Customer Support Manager at Modes. You do not need access to the Modes CMS from your individual laptop/computer in order to take part in the session.

Modes Advanced

Tuesday, 6 September 2022, 10.00am – 12.00pm
Zoom

This live training session will be held on Zoom and will be an introductory/refresher course for both novice and existing Modes users working with military collections. The session will cover a brief overview of using Modes, searching in Modes, documenting medals and photographs (creating a record about an object with an image) and will also include a Q&A session.

This course will be delivered over Zoom by Nick Pearce-Smith, Customer Support Manager at Modes. You do not need access to the Modes CMS from your individual laptop/computer in order to take part in the session.

Understanding Good Governance for Trustees

Wednesday, 7 September 2022
Zoom

This session is relevant to museum trustees and will cover the role of a trustee, responsibilities and legal liabilities. There will also be sessions on finance and managing risk, strategic planning and income generation, being good employers and advocates, how to put good governance into place and practice as well as succession planning for the future.

This course will be delivered by Debbie Read who is a cultural management consultant, specialising in business strategy, fundraising, good governance and trustee recruitment. She has delivered consultancy projects for museums and arts charities from small to large scale across the country and was previously the Head of Planning at Arts Council East Midlands.

DSTL Radiation Safety in Museums

Tuesday, 27 September 2022, 10.00am – 3.00pm
London

This course is delivered by Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and is a full day of training on radiation safety for museums. The course will provide an introduction to what radiation is, help raise awareness and provide you with resources for safety measures for museum staff and visitors as well as to protect collections. 

Regimental Curators’ Course – London

Monday, 3 October – Friday, 7 October 2022
National Army Museum, London

The National Army Museum will be running the next Regimental Curators’ Course in person here at the Museum in London. This five-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.