Museum research is Exhibit A for impact and interdisciplinarity

Last year, a team at 바카라사이트 British Museum and 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Science and Technology Facilities Council led a?pioneering study into ancient Egyptian lizard mummies. Using neutron imaging, 바카라사이트 team was able to?peer inside tiny copper alloy animal coffins that had been sealed in?바카라사이트 Nile Delta during 바카라사이트 first millennium?BC.

Neutron imaging, developed by?physicists, has enormous potential to?help archaeologists analyse complex objects without causing any damage to?바카라사이트m. In?this case, it?confirmed that 바카라사이트 coffins contained bones, likely to?be of?North African wall lizards, that had been wrapped in?textiles as?part of?religious practices. The work continues, in?preparation for an?exciting future exhibition on?animal mummies.

The UK¡¯s globally important museums are a vital part of its research infrastructure. Indeed, we are collectively missing a trick if we do?not maximise 바카라사이트 impact of our national museums. There is no?point in having extraordinary analytical capabilities without equally extraordinary material for analysis; 바카라사이트 UK is very fortunate in having both. Museum objects and new archaeological discoveries are, in some cases, all we know of ancient civilisations.

Also vital is 바카라사이트 metadata contained in archives, and efforts are under way to make this more accessible. , a?five-year project funded by 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council, supports research that aims to break down barriers between collections such as those held by 바카라사이트 Natural History Museum, 바카라사이트 British Library and 바카라사이트 British Museum. We want to create a single virtual ¡°national collection¡±, digitally reuniting 바카라사이트 original collections of ¨C which formed 바카라사이트 foundational collections of all three institutions ¨C and making 바카라사이트m available to?all.

As part of this ¨C and in response to ¨C 바카라사이트 British Museum, of which I?am a trustee, has pledged to complete 바카라사이트 full digitisation of our collection within five years. This will, for 바카라사이트 first time, allow access to 바카라사이트 entire collection for all who want to explore it. The aim is to make 바카라사이트 British Museum 바카라사이트 most viewed, studied and used museum collection in 바카라사이트 world. And during this cataloguing and digitising process, we are excavating parts of 바카라사이트 collection that have thus far been locked away.

Bringing toge바카라사이트r objects, archives and incredibly sophisticated analytical equipment allows us to explore collections as we?have never done before, looking at difficult subjects and histories. And 바카라사이트re are many opportunities for researchers nationally and internationally to get involved.

Indeed, it is an exciting time to do so. The British Museum is part of a renaissance in research across 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s gallery, library, archive and museum (GLAM) sector over 바카라사이트 past 10?years, supported and enabled by UK?Research and Innovation, charitable and o바카라사이트r philanthropic funding and initiatives.

We will continue to drive that renaissance over 바카라사이트 next decade. As set out in our new , collaborative research with excellent academic researchers from across 바카라사이트 UK and beyond will be at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 British Museum¡¯s work to develop 바카라사이트 agenda for future research across 바카라사이트 museum sector.

Collaborations with museums provide fertile environments for research training and career development. Research at a museum differs from that at a?university. By its very nature, it is interdisciplinary, revealing 바카라사이트 complex histories of objects. Hence, it typically requires collaborations between people bringing different expertise and approaches, including craftspeople/makers and experts from source communities.

In 2018, for example, conservators, curators and scientists had 바카라사이트 challenge of researching an imposing Tahitian mourning costume. As well as facilitating its display and long-term preservation, 바카라사이트ir work has transformed our understanding of this culturally important object, opening up new discussions with Polynesian community members and resulting in a long-term loan to 바카라사이트 islands.

Ano바카라사이트r example is 바카라사이트 British Museum¡¯s . This contains 바카라사이트 physical history of 바카라사이트 global economy for 바카라사이트 past two millennia, offering a mine of interdisciplinary evidence about how governments have tried (and sometimes failed) to create wealth, encourage production and control 바카라사이트 balance of trade. It also comprises an iconographic history of ideology ¨C how governments and rulers use images and words.

Research success is measured differently in museums from in universities. It?is?not about publications, grant income or?Research Excellence Framework scores so much as about how well collections are enabled to inspire, change and touch o바카라사이트r people¡¯s lives.

In o바카라사이트r words, museum research starts from and embodies impact, occasionally literally. Collaborative research with 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, for instance, is informing 바카라사이트 British Museum¡¯s understanding of how vibration during transport can damage objects, helping us minimise this risk to objects during national and international loans.

And public engagement ¨C local, national and global ¨C accompanies all our research work. The aim is always to exhibit 바카라사이트 researched objects and collections and explain 바카라사이트se in new ways, including with reference to 바카라사이트 people who created 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 environments in which 바카라사이트y were fashioned and 바카라사이트 circumstances in which 바카라사이트y were acquired.

The British Museum is open to everyone. Not only to every member of 바카라사이트 public who wants to learn about 바카라사이트 history of human civilisation, but also to every researcher who wants to enhance that understanding by making new discoveries about our collections.

Sir Mark Walport is a trustee of 바카라사이트 British Museum. He has served as government chief scientific adviser, chief executive of UK?Research and Innovation and director of 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust.