April 2009's news:
Shabana Pathan
Working together – national and regional museums in London
The London Museums Hub’s National : Regional Loan Scheme has successfully brokered its first partnership between Brent Museum and the British Museum. The aim of the project was to identify a non-Hub museum, capable with additional capacity and support of taking a small scale, high quality loan from a national museum.
The first loan was the Gayer-Anderson Cat which was lent to Brent Museum by the British Museum. This is the first time the cat had been displayed outside of the British Museum, where it has been on display for over 60 years. This has been a very successful partnership with all parties working together to make a piece of world heritage accessible to new audiences in an outer London borough.
The lasting benefits of this project for Brent Museum are the results of the security and environmental audits that took place, the purchase of a Government Indemnity Standard showcase, a fully funded audience development programme, support for marketing and PR associated with the loan and training in audience monitoring, object handling and collection care.
This loan has been made possible through a special partnership between the British Museum and London Museums Hub. The London Museums Hub provides funding and support to develop a vibrant and sustainable museum sector for London.
Jack Lohman, Director of the London Museums Hub said “I am delighted that the London Museums Hub’s National Regional Loan Scheme is enabling Brent Museum to display the Gayer Anderson cat. This loan will give a greater number of Londoners the chance to see one of the most fascinating treasures in the British Museum. This scheme is also providing a wonderful opportunity for a non-national and a national museum to collaborate and learn from each other.”
The exhibition is on until 10 May 2009. For more information visit the website.
If you would like to know more about the National : Regional Loan Scheme, please contact Shabana Pathan, Hub Communications Officer, at the London Museums Hub, tel. 020 7814 5786