These video case studies examine the land managed by museums and heritage organisations as a component of business models; as a medium for audience and community support; and as a tool for climate resilience and adaptation.
Despite the amount of land owned and managed by museums, and the critical importance of land management in the context of museums and heritage organisations, there exists a gap in comprehensive, sector-wide research exploring the opportunities and challenges presented by land and outdoor spaces.
AIM, along with Welsh Government, Arts Council England and NMDC, commissioned research to begin to fill this knowledge gap by capturing a snapshot of practice across museums and investigating the multitude of roles land plays within these organisations.
The research included six site visits to understand the practicalities of land management strategies and to compile the following case studies of ‘best practice’.
Battle of Prestonpans Museum
Hear from the Battle of Prestonpans Museum about how they’ve been managing the land around the museum and the lessons they can share with other museum and heritage venues with outdoor space that is integral to their story.
Ulster Folk Museum
Hear from Ulster Folk Museum about how they’re taking the lead in land management and piloting new approaches, particularly with an eye to sustainability. The site is used as a testing ground for new approaches that can then be rolled out across other sites.
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens have engaged with organisations and individuals beyond their own traditional network to bring new ideas and facilitate further communication and knowledge sharing in the management of their outdoor spaces.
Wheal Martyn Museum
In this case study, Wheal Martyn highlight the importance of having a multi-stranded and flexible plan for land management, that can adapt to the availability of volunteers and the weather. Wheal Martyn describe their land management plan as a mix of formal and informal that allows for adaptation to the natural environment and its inherent unpredictability.