Museum Networks
The free exchange of skills and information between museum workers is vital for the health of the sector in London.
Museum Development Officer (MDO) training and advice programme
MDOs and specialists from the Museum of London often deliver skills sessions directly within our training programmes. Events are generally structured to enable museum workers to share their insights and cutting edge work.
Within our programme of one-to-one advice we can sometimes arrange for museum workers to observe relevant sessions, or negotiate other kinds of specific support from within the Museum of London or elsewhere.
Sub-regional networks
The MDO team also works with a range of sub-regional networks to share information and help set up skills sharing sessions at their request. Please contact the networks directly for dates of their upcoming meetings:
- West London Museums Group - Beverley Brodie (interim contact)
- North & East London Museums Group - Helen O'Hara
- South & East London Museums Group - Yvette Shepherd
- Central London Historic Collections Network - Nicola Davies
Subject networks
The MDO team exchanges information and skills within and between subject-based networks, for instance:
- London Museums of Health and Medicine, Chair: Maria Ferran
- London Military Museum Network, Chair role is currently vacant, contact Helen O'Hara for now
- Industrial Heritage Network London: Mike Nevell, Industrial Heritage Support Officer for England
- The national Subject specialist networks, many of whose members are located in London. You can find further information on these subject specialist networks and a list of contacts on the Arts Council England’s website here
Practitioner networks
The MDO team are active in sourcing speakers and generally supporting the work of a number of professional groups covering specific areas of museum practice. This list includes some of them. Upcoming meeting dates are available from the contacts provided:
- Early Years network - [email protected]
- Families in Museums Network - [email protected]
- Group for Education in Museums (GEM) London - [email protected]
- London Heritage Volunteer Management Network (LHVMN) - [email protected]
- London museums capital projects group – Yvette Shepherd
- Young People’s Programmes Managers network - Rachael Crofts
- Secondary Learning network (PDF 676kb, opens in new tab) [email protected]
Mentoring and peer support
Museum Development Officers can offer general advice within their role, but they also help to arrange more targeted mentor and peer support.
The support of Accreditation Mentors is critical in enabling museums without professional staff to achieve Museum Accreditation.
MDOs have a key role in sourcing Accreditation Mentors for those museums that need them. For more information visit the Museum Mentor section of the Arts Council website.