An exciting opportunity for an experienced collections specialist to work with Designated geology collections at an award-winning museum.
Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust is a major independent regional museum welcoming over 200,000 visitors every year. We are the lead organisation of the Cumbria Museum Consortium, an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. As part of our Manifesto we strive to engage our local community at every level: we aim to provide a third space that anchors the community, using our stunning collections, which include our recently Designated Natural Science collection, to inspire our diverse audiences.
The Museum's Natural Science collection is Designated for a reason - it is a comprehensive, scientifically important and nationally significant collection of 300,000+ specimens that represent the flora and fauna of Cumbria, the most biodiverse county in the UK. Together with the 2m+ records held by the Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre (CBDC - one of the oldest record centres in the world and located in Tullie House). This exciting new post represents an extraordinary opportunity to work within one of the most important natural science collections in the UK.
Tullie House and CBDC are committed to working together to raise the profile of biodiversity, nature and wildlife in Cumbria. CBDC has been based at Tullie House since 2010, but over the next year it will become more embedded within the Museum's structure, strategic priorities and vision.
This role is a fantastic opportunity to support this process and champion collections care and engagement. It is funded through Arts Council England's Designation Development Fund. The Project Curator will lead work to catalogue and digitise our designated geology and palaeontology collections and work with colleagues to develop public outcomes and engagement relating to it. We are looking for a candidate with knowledge of geology or palaeontology, and experience of collections management, and who has a good understanding of how we can use collections to engage and inspire communities.
The post would be responsible for leading the project, managing a Project Assistant, and working with colleagues to develop and deliver forward plans for collections care, public engagement and sector-support.
Purpose of the Role
- To document, digitise and curate the geology and palaeontology collections (part of the Museum's Designated Natural Science collections) to recognised professional standards, and to increase access to this collection for research, engagement and income generation.
- To work with colleagues across the organisation - in particular the Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre and the Learning and Exhibition teams - to develop innovative projects, displays and events focusing on the geology collection in order to support the museum's Business Plan and the ambitious Project Tullie masterplan.
- To develop relationships with external experts, professionals and societies, and to develop and deliver skills sharing sessions at other museums, in order to create a regional natural science network.
This post is 0.9 FTE (4.5 days per week). Fixed Term January 2021 - January 2023