Issue - meetings

Ms Victoria Barlow, the Museum’s Director gave a presentation on the progress made during the last six months to the Museum Transformation Plan.

The Committee was informed that the action plan for 2018/19 focussed on two main areas of delivery, the transformation of the museum and the development of a new café at the eastern end of the building.

It was noted that the Museum currently reached about a third of the residents of the borough but wanted to engage with more communities and one of the ways it was achieving this was to run a series of Memory Days to enable people to tell their stories in order that the public could gain more insight into the past employment of the town, such as Trebor Bassett and the Paper industry.

A recent consultation on what visitors would like to see more of featured answers such as more dinosaurs, more disabled friendly activities, improved lighting upstairs, things that they could touch and pet horses.

In the ensuing discussion Members made the following comments:-

·  That the Museum should not just be limited to the history of Maidstone.

·  That having a more tactile approach should be encouraged.

·  That the plans for the relocation of the Café were very exciting.

·  That governance arrangements need to be realigned, especially in regard to the Museum’s Strategic Board.  It was felt that this should be reconstituted as an Advisory Board to advise on best practice.

·  That work should be undertaken to launch a fundraising campaign to raise £5 million for the Museum.

In response to questions from Members, Ms Barlow advised:-

·  That discussions were being held with the various Trusts at the Museum and it was progressing well.

·  Some of the fossils were billions of years old, and some of the oldest exhibits donated to the Museum had come from the 1830’s.

RESOLVED:

1)  That the review of progress towards the completion of the 2018/19 Action Plan of the Museum’s 20 Year Plan be noted.

2)  That the terms of reference of the Museum’s Strategic Board be reviewed with a view to it becoming an Advisory Board.

3)  That a Fundraising Campaign be commenced for the Museum.

Voting:  Unanimous