Photograph by Julian Eales.
By Alex Smaridge, Engagement and Collections Manager
It’s not every day that I get the chance to hang out with one thousand people who all love museums as much as I do, but on a recent trip to Leeds for the two-day Museums Association Conference I was able to do just that. This year, the theme was “The Joy of Museums,” which was a great opportunity to come together and celebrate the things that bring the most joy to those who work in, and those who visit museums.
I was very lucky to receive a grant from the Museums Associations Benevolent Fund to attend the conference, spending two days meeting and hearing from sector colleagues on topics like joyful museum design, embracing chaos in exhibition design to create more inclusive exhibitions, working with young people and resilient finances in museums.
I was also at the conference to walk across the platform stage to collect my Associate of the Museums Association (AMA) certificate. This professional qualification focuses on the study of museum sector ethics, museum and project management, as well as long-term professional development. Between 2020 and 2023 I took part in this self-guided programme, benefiting from a mentor and a tailored professional development plan. All of which has given me a new perspective on how to strive for the best in museums, no matter the project. Completing my AMA hasn’t been about topping up my knowledge and moving on, but has really been about being able to embrace new ideas, learning and excellence from others to truly make the best decisions for our collections and our Museum as I can. I know that with the strong vision the Museum has for sharing the stories of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire, we’ll be able to help deliver that through our exhibitions to the way we think and care about the environment.
I’m so very pleased to have gone to Leeds and met some new colleagues (and friends), but am also pleased that I’ve been able to learn and grow my experience at the Museum of Cambridge. I joined the Museum in 2021, just as we re-opened after the COVID-19 closures, and we have come so very far in this time. I can’t wait to see what the Museum does next, and what stories we will be able to tell through our fantastic collection.
See you in the Museum soon!
Alex Smaridge
Engagement and Collections Manager