Redisplay Project: Natural Sciences Curatorial Consultancy Brief

Chelmsford Museum Redisplay Project: Natural Sciences Curatorial

Consultancy Brief

Initial discussions may be held with the Museums Manager, Nick Wickenden. Telephone 01245 606301, email nick.wickenden@chelmsford.gov.uk

Chelmsford Museum (part of Chelmsford City Council) is working through a Stage 1 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to redisplay parts of the Victorian Oaklands House (archaeology, natural history, coins, decorative arts) as well as interpreting the history of the House, and introducing new displays, such as costume and toys. It is also intended to unite the Museum and the Park in which it sits to create a single visitor destination. The Stage 2 application is due to be made to the HLF in March 2017, with implementation work taking place in later 2017 and the first half of 2018.

HLF Project Description

The project aims to:

 Redisplay the parts of the Museum not changed in the Phase 1 extension project of 2009/10, namely natural sciences and geology, archaeology, coins and decorative arts
 Loan archaeological material from the British Museum
 focus on family friendly displays (following an audit in 2012 by Jo Graham)
 Augment the museum with new areas of display, including costume and toys and dolls
 Introduce more interactive exhibits and up-to-date digital technology
 Return the House to a more original Victorian feel, with suitable interpretation of the rooms and their original uses.
 Work to the Mechanical and Electrical services (eg heating and LED lighting), for the improved comfort of visitors, for better environmental control for the benefit of the collections, and for the improved presentation of the Victorian House.
 Improving links between the House and the public Park in which it sits (with Green Flag and Green Heritage status), particularly with natural history trails etc. to tie into the museum displays
 Enable parts of the museum collection to be made publicly accessible on-line using the existing collections management software, Emu, thus increasing our wider user audience
 Provide a new café for the museum and the park, for which there is growing public demand

Evaluation and appointment

The Museum is looking to appoint an experienced natural sciences curatorial consultant to advice on new natural science displays, by examining the current displays, and the reserve collections in store. Being conversant with HLF projects would be an advantage. Because the café will result in less room being available for displays, it is intended that the new natural sciences offer will result in the following:

 Small Ice Age mammal feature at start of the Story of Chelmsford
 Small display of local fossils, answering the public’s main enquiries (e.g. ammonite, belemnite, fossil sea urchin)
 Relocated observation beehive
 Live cam feeds for bird and bat box in the Park
 Small display of urban wildlife taxidermy ((target audience young families)
 Changing display of treasures of the natural sciences collection (e.g.tropical shells, coco de mer, minerals etc.)
 Natural history flora & fauna trails in the Park

Chelmsford City Council will evaluate submissions on the basis of: price; qualified references; and experience of the person undertaking this work.

Applicants will be expected to provide fully detailed CV’s of related experience with the submission.

Qualified References – applicants should provide the contact names and details of at least two clients.