PLASTICS SSN QUESTIONAIRE RESULTS
Q1 Organisation
































Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage
British Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
College of Optometrists (British Optical Assoc. Museum)
Colin Williamson Private Collection/Smile Plastics
Croydon Museum & Heritage Service
Design Museum, London
Design Collection Museum at The Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire County Council Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum and Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Institute for Cultural Heritage, Netherlands
Magdalena Kozera Private collection – photographic materials conservation
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Plastics Historical Society
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Science Museum
Society of Plastic Engineers
Tate
Thackray Museum
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Centre
Victoria & Albert Museum
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
Q2 How is your museum/organisation funded?
 Independent =
British Optical Association Museum
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Design Museum, London
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
PHS
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Society of Plastics Engineers
Thackray Museum
 Local Authority =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage
Croydon Museum & Heritage Service
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire County Council Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Manchester City Galleries
Museum of Costume Bath
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
 National =
British Museum
Imperial War Museum
Science Museum
Tate
Victoria & Albert Museum
 University =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit
 Other =
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Q3 Are you a registered museum?
 Yes =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage
British Museum
British Optical Association Museum
Croydon Museum & Heritage Service
Design Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire County Council Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum
Imperial War Museum
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Science Museum
Tate
Thackray Museum
Victoria & Albert Museum
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
 No =
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
Plastics Historical Society
Society of Plastics Engineers
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Centre
Q4 How would you categorise the subject area of your museum? If your
collection encompasses a smaller area than these broad categories please state
what it is.
 Science, Technology and Industry =
Birmingham Museums Collection Centre
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Collin Williamson Private Collection
Design Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester
Science Museum
 Rural =
 Natural History =
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
 Social History =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage
British Museum
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Croydon Museum & Heritage Service
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
 Art =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Tate
 Design & Decorative Arts =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Design Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
V&A
 Health & Medicine =
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Thackray Museum
 Other =
Ethnography & Egyptology (Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery)
Manufacturing (Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College)
Plastics (Colin Williamson Private Collection)
Military (Fleet Air Arm Museum)
Historic Costume & Textile (Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service)
Archaeology, Costume & Textiles (Hereford Museum & Art Gallery)
Fashion History (Museum of Costume, Bath)
Q5. Approximately what proportion of the objects in your collection are entirely
made of natural plastics of have natural plastic components?
10% or under =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Museum
Croydon Museum & Heritage Service
Design Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institute
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Tate
Science Museum
Thackray Museum
V&A
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
20% =
British Optical Assoc. Museum
30% =
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
40% =
50% =
60% =
70% =
Colin Williamson Private Collection
80% =
90% =
100% =
Q6 And approximately what proportion of the objects in your collection are
entirely made of synthetic plastics or have components made of them?
10% or under =
British Museum
Croydon Museum & Heritage Service
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Science Museum
Tate
Thackray Museum
V&A
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
20% =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
30% =
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Imperial War Museum
Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester
40% =
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
50% =
Design Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
60% =
70% =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
80% =
90% =
100% =
Q7 Do you differentiate between different types of plastics in the documentation
of your collection?
Yes =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Optical Assoc. Museum (Where known)
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Design Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Science Museum
Tate
Wakefield Cultural Services
No =
Birmingham Museum Collections Centre
Croydon Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Imperial War Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Sometimes –.
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
British Museum – (Depends on Dept)
Thackray Museum
V&A (& for new accessions)
Q8 Please describe the nature of your plastics collection.
20th and 21st century design and material culture (Arts Institute at Bournemouth)
No specific plastic collection – but within the hair comb collection, fan collection,
jewellery collections, social history, button, transport, sculpture (Birmingham
Museum & Art Gallery)
I cannot even guess a percentage figure for the proportion as no one has ever thought
about it. Plastics in one form or another must occur in the vast majority of our
collections, without considering the collections of the Human History section also
stored here. We have well over 100 vehicles all with tyres, many exhibits have plastic
handles etc. Similarly there is NO curator responsible for this collection. I double that
task with my main hat on, and I used to be better than adequate, having taught the
subject at secondary level, but am now extremely out of touch and rusty, having had
no need to worry about such matters (apart from rubber degradation) (Birmingham
Museums Collections Centre)
Objects collected as examples of Social and Industrial history, e.g. radios, clocks,
TVs, domestic equipment, clothes from manmade fibres, tools. Also some works of
art that use acrylic materials.Large collections of photographs. (Bradford Museums,
Galleries and Heritage)
Social History (British Museum)
Tortoiseshell & horn spectacle frames (incl 3 turtles!) magnifying glass rims etc.
Celluloid/Xylonite/Cellulose nitrate/acetate spectacle frames, cases
PMMA and resin ophthalmic lenses
Contact lenses of PMMA etafilcon and similar materials
Retail display stands
Badges, figurines, anatomical model eyes, acrylic artificial eyes (British Optical
Assoc. Museum)
Celluloide & later 8mm & 16mm film
Photographic prints – range of formats (Buckinghamshire Chilterns University
College)
Eclectic (Colin Williamson Private Collection)
Collected as part of social history work, material is usually incidental though
increasingly common in contemporary material (Croydon Museum)
The Design Museum collection comprises chairs, tableware, electrical appliances and
home entertainment from the 20th & 21st century. Many of these items are entirely
made from plastic, from early natural plastics to more recent items using recycled
plastics. (Design Museum)
Aeronautical components, equipment & memorabilia. Photographic & film. Clothing
& accessories . Models (Fleet Air Arm Museum)
Toys, packaging, domestic equipment, radios & TV’s and computers, PVC clothing,
plastic shoes, ornaments, jewellery, costume accessories (Gunnersbury Park Museum)
Small compo9nent of randomly collected mainly Bakelite items, augmented in 2000
by acquisition of Trainor collection of approx. 2000 industrial design items, largely
plastic & plastic/other material (Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service)
From rubbers used in general components eg. Gas masks, through to entire objects eg.
Toy collection (Hereford Museum & Art Gallery)
Social history objects, bakelite memorial plaques, instruments, aeronautical, naval etc.
(Imperial War Museum)
Photographic enclosures 1840’s – present. Photographic materials (negatives, prints)
photographic supports/components (Perspex sheeting) (Magdalena Kozera Private
Collection)
Mainly 20th & 21st C design items, particularly furniture. We participated in the CAS
Special Collections Scheme between 1999-2004 specialising in contemporary
furniture & lighting, so have several examples of recent uses of plastics. (Manchester
City Galleries)
Plastics are mainly found as part of a mixed material object (Michael Faraday
Museum at the Royal Institution)
Primarily plastic packaging, but also some radios etc, toys, utility objects (Museum of
Brands, Packaging and Advertising)
Costume jewellery. Hair accessories. Garments, Shoes (Museum of Costume, Bath)
Animation puppets. Photographs & archival records, televisions, radios, record
players, computers, models, telephones, glasses frames etc. medical equipment
(Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester)
PHS Members have their own private collections often specialising in particular
materials eg. Bakelite,, bois durci or particular applications eg. Combs, tableware
(PHS)
The plastics held by the local history department are generally those used throughout
people's homes and daily lives. This includes the older materials such as bone
objects, combs etc., and early plastics in the form of radios, televisions and other
household appliances. Contemporary collecting is rapidly adding more modern
plastics, including children's toys, carrier bags and household goods. (Portsmouth
Museums and Records Service)
Historical, natural, semisynthetics (c. 2000 items) & contemporary (Science Museum)
Part or whole medical instruments/equipment and/or packaging including both natural
and synthetic plastics. (Thackray Museum)
Fine art objects (Tate)
Items of dress: PVC coats/finishes etc. Accessories: Bags/shoes/hair combs etc.
Industrial design, electrical products, furniture, fashion accessories, tableware,
lighting, toys, art objects, dress, architectural models etc. (V&A)
Toys, TV’s , radios etc. clothing accessories such as jewellery, fans. Kitchen
equipment such as cruet sets, plates, cups. Spectacles (Wakefield MDC Cultural
Services)
Q9 How would you rate the level of expertise in plastics among your curators:
Extremely High =
PHS
Good =
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Science Museum
Tate
V&A
Adequate =
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Design Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
Poor-Adequate =
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Poor =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Croydon Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Imperial War Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service)
Thackray Museum
Non-existent =
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Variable =
British Museum
Q10 Do you have a gallery/showcases devoted to Plastics?
Yes =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising (Modern Only)
Science Museum (Challenge of Materials gallery – range of different plastics)
No =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage)
British Museum
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Croydon Museum
Design Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Sercice
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries (But objects feature in our 20th C displays & Gallery & of
Craft & Design)
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
PHS
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Tate
Thackray Museum (We are currently planning a major new display and web resource
dedicated to plastics in medicine. This project is dependent on the success of
sponsorship applications. The gallery display will feature an interactive exhibit,
enabling users to experience at first hand use of medical plastics in a surgical context,
with emphasis on the use of PVC. The website resource will animate the issues
around the use of medical plastics and encourage more in-depth exploration and
debate.
V&A (Plastics form a part of gallery displays – specifically those relating to 20th C.
design.
V&A (It is of note that the V&A collections are based upon materials, but no plastics
dept. exists. Plastics are distributed across many galleries and collections.
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
Q11 Have you held an exhibition of plastics in the last 10 years?
Yes =
Art Institute at Bournemouth, Plastics! At the Russell Cotes Museum and Art Gallery,
20 Sept – 20 Nov 2005.
Colin Williamson - for plastics industry people. So good general history of plastics
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service – Not of plastics only, but Trainor
Collection displayed in 15 cases at Milestones Museum, Basingstoke 2000-2005.
Manchester City Galleries – Currently showing Joe Colombo – Inventing the Future
(pioneering 1960’s Italian designer who worked with plastics. Previous exhibitions
(pre 1996) have included ‘Plastic Fantastic – 1960’s plastic design.
PHS – An annual day conference on the history of plastics and various visits/lectures
through the year.
1999 – exhibition devoted to designer AH Woodfull at Interplas.
2006 – current display at Bedford Museum – collecting plastics
Science Museum – Plastics gallery (closed 1997) General overview of subject –
chronological & thematic.
Society of Plastics Engineers (none specified)
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services – Fantastic Plastic ran for 3 months at Wakefield
Museum in the summer of 2001
No =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
British Museum
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Croydon Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Tate
Thackray Museum
V&A – but see ‘The Plastics Age: from Modernity to Post-Modernity’ at the V&A,
1990
Q12 Have you run any plastics projects in the last 10 years?
Yes =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth – see www.plasticnetwork.org
British Museum – Survey in certain departments to see what we’ve got. & Individual
conservation projects.
British Optical Assoc. Museum – We hosted a visit of the PHS in 2000 (?) which
included a handling session.
Colin Williamson Private Collection – none specified
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service – ‘Trainor’ collection data capture project
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester – Recycling Plastics & Waste
PHS – annual day conference on the history of plastics & publication on
‘Plastiquarian’ twice a year and website.
Science Museum – Challenge gallery updates on Tencel (Dancing Fibres), aramids
(Protecting aircraft) , Spider Silk (Spinning yarn)
Society of Plastics Engineers – Website www.4spe.org
Research into the documentation and conservation of plastic sculpture, ongoing (with
Andrew Mellon Foundation - Tate
V&A – work with a PhD student helping her to build a database of synthetic material
‘signatures’ with a NIR spectrometer. Her findings will help improve storage.
Green furniture: ecological design involved re-cycled plastics used for furniture –
1997
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services – We had plastics specialist Colin Williamson
identify the collections and Yannick Minvielle-Debat, Bradford University
conservation department conduct a survey with storage recommendations which we
have implemented over the last 5 years.
No =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Croydon Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service)
Thackray Museum
Q13 Would you be interested in joining a Plastics SSN?
Yes =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage
British Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Croydon Museum
Design Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
PHS
Science Museum
Society of Plastics Engineers
Tate
Thackray Museum
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Centre
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service)
V&A
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
Perhaps =
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
No =
Q14 If you might be interested in joining a plastics SSN, please explain:
A. How it could help your institution
Arts institute at Bournemouth – provide us with advice and the possibility of
collaboration, especially in terms of plastics exhibitions from the collection.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery -. I have a conservation background and in my
job I do condition surveys and at present I am trying to locate all cellulose nitrate
acetate in the collections to ascertain their condition. More knowledge of more
modern plastic would be very useful as well as contact at other museums and knowing
who is doing what project so we can share information.
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre –Better understanding of the associated
problems with mixed materials in store.
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage – Training, network, loans
British Museum – Share knowledge, current practice, approaches
British Optical Assoc. Museums – Drawing our attention to similar collections and
staff involved in their care and research.
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College – Enhance our understanding of
design, manufacturing, materials & history.
Colin Williamson Private Collection – More knowledge and a possible home for parts
of our collection.
Croydon Museum – Identification and care guidance & contacts. Approaches to
responsible acquisition.
Design Museum – It would enable the Design Museum to increase its knowledge of
plastics through contact with other collections and curators and also to plan for the
future and the specific requirements of care for a plastics collection.
Fleet Air Arm Museum – By increasing the level of expertise in the areas of
recognition and care.
Gunnersbury Park Museum – Identifying types of plastics – for documentation,
correct handling and storage.
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service – Make available resources of historic &
practical expertise, the possibility of collaborative exhibitions in the future and/or cooperation over storage/conservation issues.
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery – Provide a greater awareness of plastics within the
collection how to preserve them and where possible (or required), conserve them,
would also fit within the remit of CPD as well.
Imperial War Museum – At present we have no knowledge as to conservation of
plastics and as they are present in a lot of the collection it would be useful to have a
knowledge database available.
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection – Expand my understanding of the materials
and provide a network of professionals I could communicate with and exchange
experiences with.
Manchester City Galleries – By providing expertise regarding conservation & display
of objects in our collection, and help inform future displays and acquisition. Potential
of joint projects eg. touring exhibition partnerships.
Michael Faraday Museum ant the Royal Institution – To gain further knowledge and
learn about other collections
Museum of Costume, Bath – Advice and information on storage, preservation,
conservation.
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester – Further knowledge would help us to
look after the plastic collections for the future.
PHS – Help to identify specialist items in local museums to complete records of
companies, products, materials.
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service - Hopefully, such a network would enable
us to make better and more informed use of the plastics held in our collections,
including improving their storage and care through shared knowledge and better
recognition of their historic and social importance.
Science Museum – Networking
Society of Plastics Engineers – We have over 20,000 members across the world , over
2000 in Europe. Resource for SPE members.
Tate – networking and sharing of expertise.
Thackray Museum – Increase professional knowledge on conservation, preservation,
differentiation and documentation of plastics. Potentially a useful resource to inform
the development of a new display on the importance of plastics in medicine.
University of Southampton – Textile Conservation Unit – Through supporting the
research and teaching of plastics conservation of artefacts.
V&A – Improve collections care and collections management. Prevent duplication of
collections – disposal.By joining with other interested parties knowledge could be
shared. There is also the possibility of applying for funding from various agencies.
This is always easier when there are several institutions involved.Put us in touch with
other experts.Help V&A reconsider its own disparate collection. Encourage research
and development of the collection
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services – Support greater knowledge of plastics,
possibility of joint projects/exhibitions and online collaborations.
B. How it could benefit the public?
Art Institute at Bournemouth – improve our ability to maintain the collection and
interpret it appropriately for wider audiences.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – We could do web pages and display panel on
the care of plastics, there may be interest enough to put a small display on.
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre – A better description in regard to labels
and the possibility of specialist attention to their enquiries.
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage – improved enquiry response, may be
exhibitions.
British Museum – Better care of collections therefore available for display, study ,
awareness of collections.
British Optical Assoc. Museum – Doubt it would be of much benefit. SSNs are
intended for the profession (through which benefits may subsequently be passed onto
the public)
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College – by helping us to be more informed
when we ‘go live’ with our collection through the interactive website.
Croydon Museum – better interpretation of plastics collections.
Design Museum – It would enable the curatorial staff to gain confidence in
developing the use of the collection and increase the level of information given in
captions and on the website.
Fleet Air Arm Museum – By safeguarding the collection in storage and on display.
Gunnersbury Park Museum – There would be more information about the collections
– a new angle on looking at the collections. The collections would be better cared for
and more likely to survive. People often identify more with plastic objects which they
can relate to.
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery – Improved awareness of the collection could lead
to plastics being used more in displays/exhibitions. It also improves the conservation
advice provision.
Imperial War Museum – By allowing museums to explain plastic and preserve them
for future.
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection- Improved care of collections.
Manchester City Galleries – By providing access to information and collections
within the specialist area.
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution – If our knowledge is extended it
can only extend the life of the collection and extend what the public see in the future.
Museum 0f Costume, Bath – We run a study facility to enable access to objects
including plastics and would like to ensure the plastics are accessible & are preserved
for access.
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester – We could tell them more about
plastics & we could display them in a more interesting way for the public.
PHS – Create awareness of the range of materials available. Help them in their choice
of purchases of domestic goods.
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service - If we are better able to identify and care
for our collections, the public will have much greater access to the material, facilitated
by our knowledge and understanding. We would feel more confident to hold
exhibitions and workshops based around the theme of plastic, making it more widely
available. Also, anyone engaged in any form of plastics research would be able to
find and use the museums plastic resources much more easily.
Science Museum – Help understanding of plastics
Society of Plastics Engineers – Help to support and promote plastics - is part of our
goals.
Tate – more varied and informative displays.
Thackray Museum – In helping to inform the better conservation and preservation of
museum plastics collections nationally and encouraging their display. By raising
public understanding of the science of plastics; the engineering, technology and
design applications of plastics; how plastics have influenced the development of
society, and raising awareness of responsible use of plastics.
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit – Better presentation &
understanding of artefacts.
V&A – Improve quality of access to collections. Develop knowledge of collections.
Improve display & interpretation.
The collections containing plastic will be better cared for. There will be more
information on the materials which will benefit both the general public and
educational institutions which use the museum. Increase public awareness of V&A
plastics collections.
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services – Digital and physical access to collections.
C. How it could benefit the subject area
Arts Institute at Bournemouth – give the subject a higher profile and encourage
outcomes.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – If we share more information , joint projects ,
knowing who has what in collections.
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre – Any pooling of knowledge and resources
has to be of benefit to any collection.
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage – Training, network, loans.
British Museum – Increased knowledge. Development of care.
British Optical Assoc. Museum – If it extends on PHS work. If it merely duplicates it,
it will have
achieved little.
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College – By offering a wider perspective and
through it
specialist nature – furniture.
Croydon Museum – Central network with broad base of experts.
Design Museum – A network of curators who have plastics in their collection would
lead to a sharing of information and problems resulting in increased knowledge of the
subject.
Gunnersbury Park Museum – It would publicise our plastics collections – which
might be of interest to collectors and others.
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery – By widening the awareness within the museum
community of the kinds of plastic objects held by museums.
Imperial War Museum – By allowing joint research projects & developing the
subject area. knowledge furthered.
Manchester City Galleries – As this is a currently under-represented subject within
museums (particularly conservation & curatorial staff) the sharing of knowledge
would help to develop expertise in what is bound to be an expanding area.
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution. – To let people know who they
could contact for help and advice and future projects.
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service - Clearly, there is a need to share
knowledge about exactly what material is held in collections across the country.
Portsmouth's collections are no exception, in that they hold many interesting
examples of plastics used in a variety of ways, from sculptural uses to social history.
By increasing access to these collections, knowledge and appreciation of plastics
would be enormously enhanced.
PHS – Help to complete the records of an important industry and its effect on social
history.
Science Museum – Know what other organisations are doing.
Tate – Further research and better understanding of the problems associated with
plastics.
Thackray Museum – By raising the profile of plastics as materials and the issues
linked to them, eg. science (biology, chemistry, physics and earth science),
engineering, technology, the environment and design past present and future. By
encouraging collaboration between museums and plastics industries. By developing
the knowledge base on plastics and the history of plastics.
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit – provide a forum for sharing
ideas and expertise & a platform for collaborative work.
V&A – Exchange of skills & expertise. Prevent duplication of collections and
information.The diverse V&A collections could provide useful case studies for other
specialists.
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services – We will know more about what we have,
nationally/collectively.
Q15 What would you want a Plastics SSN network to have achieved by the end
of its first year?
Arts Institute at Bournemouth – A supportive network working towards shared
outcomes.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery- A contact list for museums and staff – working
with or with knowledge of plastics. A current list of projects being undertaken.
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre – A greater understanding of Museums as
opposed to private collections of specialized interest..
British Museum – Secure existence. Mission statement/organiser.
British Optical Assoc. Museum – To survive would be an achievement, most of the
other proposed SSNs won’t.
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College – Have established strong links with
the current disparate expertise, knowledge and objects (including documentation)
Croydon Museum – Basic mapping, putting people in touch, forward plan.
Design Museum – An email newsletter for members and a plan for a series of
conferences on the subject.
Fleet Air Arm Museum – Guidance on handling objects made of plastics or with
plastic components.
Gunnersbury Park Museum – Providing a list of interested museums & useful
contacts. Providing some basic guidance on care of plastics.
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service – Awareness in other institutions of size
& content of Hampshire Collection.
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery – To have met. To begin to understand the national
scope of plastic collections and collecting within the UK. To understand the threats
these collections face and the difficulties of long term storage.
Imperial War Museum – To have collated a knowledge database of experts and to be
available to museums.
Manchester City Galleries – Some agreed and manageable objectives.
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution – To form a set network of people.
Museum of Costume, Bath – General contacts information for advice.
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester – Support and advice for one another.
A joining of expertise and ideas.
PHS – Build up a network of contacts with details of specialties and also problems.
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service - Ideally, the production of a set of
standards for the identification, care, conservation and display of plastics would be an
enormous step forward. This basic information is lacking while having been prepared
for many other collecting areas.
Science Museum – List of contacts. Associated projects.
Tate – secure existence with a project running that will prepare museums to give
plastics a higher profile and use them to provide more benefits for visitors.
Thackray Museum – The establishment of a communication system for members to
enable the sharing of knowledge and expertise. The identification of priorities for the
network and a strategy to achieve them.
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit – Set some aims and objectives,
plan of action, ideas for seminars, lectures – a co-ordinator will not doubt be required
to keep it moving forward.
V&A – Guidelines for the care of plastics collections. An audit of plastics in
collections. Secured funding for future proposals.A thorough assessment of the
problems associated with plastics collections
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services – A support network, possibly an online resource
of collections.
.
Q16 Would you be interested in collaborating on a plastics project?
Yes =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage
British Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Design Museum
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
ICH Netherlands
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
PHS
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Society of Plastics Engineers
Tate
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit
V&A
Perhaps =
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Croydon Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Imperial War Museum
Manchester City Galleries
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Science Museum
Thackray Museum
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
No =
Please indicate any project types that might interest you:
Audience identification & generation =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Croydon Museum
Manchester City Galleries
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Society of Plastics Engineers
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service)
Documentation =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
Imperial War Museum
ICH Netherlands
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Museum of Costume, Bath
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Tate
V&A
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
Exhibition =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage (touring)
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
Imperial War Museum
Manchester City Galleries
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
PHS
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service
Tate
Wakefield MDC Cultural Services
Extra-mural activities =
PHS
Learning =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre
British Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service)
Society of Plastics Engineers
Tate
Thackray Museum
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit
V&A
Publication =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Museum
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
ICH Netherlands
Manchester City Galleries
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
PHS
Science Museum
Society of Plastics Engineers
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit
Research =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Museum
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Design Museum
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
ICH Netherlands
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
PHS
Society of Plastics Engineers
Tate
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit
V&A
Seminar =
Arts Institute at Bournemouth
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Croydon Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
ICH Netherlands
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
PHS
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service)
Science Museum
Tate
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit
V&A
Web =
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
British Optical Assoc. Museum
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Colin Williamson Private Collection
Croydon Museum
Design Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery
ICH Netherlands
Magdalena Kozera Private Collection
Manchester City Galleries
Other =
British Museum – Conservation
Colin Williamson Private Collection – None specified
Imperial War Museum – None specified
Society of Plastics Engineers – None specified
Q17 Any other comments
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre – I think the idea of the SSNs is an
excellent one and hope to be able to get involved. My difficulties lie in the fact that
there is only a very limited amount of the collection on show at Thinktank and we are
still trying hard to get some open accessible storage filled before the next Open Day,
which is taking much of my time.
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College – This is a very positive initiative and
I hope that it stimulates strong interest and results in a truly functional network.
Gunnersbury Park Museum – Would appreciate a list of today’s attendees as a start
for contacts – even meeting people at the seminar was really useful.
Imperial War Museum – Conservation and treatment of plastics would interest me
also.
Manchester City Galleries – Whilst this is an area that I am particularly interested in,
it is only a marginal area of our collection so my contribution to an SSN would
therefore need to be limited.
Tate – A really important and worthwhile venture.
Thackray Museum – Although rubbers are identified on page 1 as being excluded
from this survey they do present an area of particular difficulty for preservation and
we would welcome further advice on this.
University of Southampton Textile Conservation Unit – The SSN needs to attract a
broad spectrum from the plastics world, not just curators in museums, to ensure ideas
are not limited to this arena. ( Having now attended I can see this is not the case).
Q18 Are you or your organisation members of any other SSNs (please state)?
Yes =
Birmingham Museums Collections Centre – Inland Waterways, Archives in Museum,
Motoring, Science and Technology, Egyptian Archaeology.
British Optical Assoc. Museum – Health & Medicine
Croydon Museum – Contemporary Collecting. Urban Social History. Ceramics.
Design Museum – The Design Network
Fleet Air Arm Museum – Museums Weapon Group. National Aviation Museums
Curators Group. NAMLAG
Gunnersbury Park Museum – Dress & Textile Specialists
Hampshire CC Museum & Archive Service – Fashion Network. Ceramics SSN
Hereford Museum & Art Gallery – Textile /Costume SSN
Manchester City Galleries – Ceramics, Japanese Metalwork,
Michael Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution – Science, Technology & Industry
SSN
Museum of Costume, bath – Fashion Network
Portsmouth Museums and Records Service – Dress and Textile SSN
Thackray Museum – Medical & Healthcare SSN, Science & Technology SSN
V&A – Fashion & Textiles Network, Himalayan collections & others
Q19 Would you be interested in receiving the results of this survey?
Pam Langdown designcollection@aib.ac.uk
Deborah Cane Deborah_cane@birmingham.gov.uk
Mile Constable mike_constagle@birmingham.gov.uk
Nicole Rode nrode@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Neil Handley museum@college-optometrists.org
Jake Kaner jkaner01@bcuc.ac.uk
ColinWilliamson smileplas@aol.com
Georgina Young georgina.young@Croyden.gov.uk
Gemma Curtin gemma@designmuseum.org
Vanda Foster vanda.foster@cip.org.uk
Jacqui Ready Jacqui.ready@hants.gov.uk
David Stevens djstevens@herefordshire.gov.uk
Juliane Gregg jgregg@iwm.org.uk
Anna Lagana anna.lag@tiscali.it
Magdalena Kozera mkozera@onetel.com
Kate Day k.day@manchester.gov.uk
Katy Ball Katy.Ball@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Katherine St. Paul kstpaul@ri.ac.uk
Rachel Hammond r.hammond@msim.org.uk
Deborah Jaffe Deborah@tanzaroad.com
Steve Akhurst steve.akhurst@dial.pipex.com
Susan Mossman susan.mossman@sciencemuseum.org.uk
Ken Braney kbraney@4spe.org
Ray Bush rjb757@hotmail.com
Tate Greenhalg tatef@thackraymuseum.org
Cordelia Rogerson c.rogerson@soton.ac.uk
Suzanne Smith s.smith@vam.ac.uk
Brenda Keneghan b.keneghan@vam.ac.uk
Gareth Williams g.williams@vam.ac.uk
John Whittaker jwhittaker@wakefield.gov.uk
Mark Suggitt mark.suggitt@bradford.gov.uk
Derek Pullen derek.pullen@tate.org.uk