County Rep: Barbara Gilbert
Barbara is the Senior Archivist at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, Somerset.
To contact Barbara This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or ring 01935 842623
Museum Development Officer: Natalie Watson
Natalie is museum mentor to 6 museums and development officer to 55 museums and 100 heritage organisations in Somerset and North Somerset. She provides professional advice and support on all museum areas, including: collections care, funding, accreditation, training, volunteering, ethics and publicity.
She maintains social networks and websites for a variety of organisations and projects. Natalie also provides project management for organisations in the area as well as curating exhibitions, recruiting volunteers and running learning sessions in schools and at outreach events. She liaises with partners inside and outside of the heritage sector including tourism.
To contact Natalie:
- Address: Somerset Heritage Centre, Brunel Way, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 6SF
- Phone: 01823 347454
- Mobile: 07854 174272
- Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
About Somerset
The museum sector in Somerset and North Somerset is varied. The county covers a large area of rural and post industrial environments, coastal, upland, agricultural and low lying landscapes, dotted with market towns, seaside resorts, ports and centres of industry.
The museums in the county reflect this diverse heritage: from the large, rich collections of the Somerset Heritage and Libraries Service, with its world class collections of archaeology and palaeontology, to the specialist Dunster Dolls Museum and Watchet Boat Museum.
The County has over 50 museums and heritage organisations. The County Council, the District Council of South Somerset and the unitary authority of North Somerset all run museums. The National Trust and English Heritage also have properties in the region, but by far the largest number of museums are run by independent charitable trusts and many of these only flourish due to the commitment of volunteers.
County Newsletters
Find out the latest news from Somerset by reading the monthly Museum Development Officer newsletters and SWFed reports. Find the 49 back issues of the MDO newsletter dating back to 2007 here or read the current edition:
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MDO Newsletter: Issue 49. May-June 2013
Past Projects and Events
Find out what museums and other heritage organisations in Somerset have been up to, including:
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Somerset Heritage Roadshows 2007 & 2008
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Explore your Somerset Routes 2009-12
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Take One... 2009-12
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Sustainable Somerset Museums 2010-12
Museums in Somerset group
The museums have grouped together to form the self-help group Museums in Somerset. It meets 3 times a year to discuss issues of mutual interest, share news, participate in training and plan partnership projects.
Find out who is on the MiS Committee and read agendas and minutes from previous meetings here. To find out more information about the Museums in Somerset group, contact Natalie Watson.
Somerset's Institutional Federation members
Crewkerne & Distric Museum & Heritage Centre
Somerset Heritage & Libraries Service