Museums training programme

Supporting skills development within the sector

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

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).

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.

Radiation Safety in Museums

Date: Monday, 9 June 2025
Time: 10.30am – 3.00pm
Location: National Army Museum, London

This course is delivered by Atomic Warfare Establishment (AWE) 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.

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.