Background
The Maritime Curators Group (MCG) is a subject specialist network of individuals working with maritime collections, which meets twice annually with the aim of fostering a community of interest amongst maritime curators and museums.
The Group has been meeting informally twice a year since 1991, at a different museum venue each time, from Orkney to Falmouth, and Swansea to Belfast.
It has discussed modern collecting, disposals, ship preservation, information resources, health and safety and other issues relating to maritime museums and maritime collections.
Mission
To foster a community of interest in maritime collections throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Aims
- To represent and promote maritime expertise to the wider museum community
- To act as an information network
- To resolve and develop issues affecting the maritime heritage
Membership
Membership is open to: (a) working professionals in registered museums or institutions working towards registration; (b) associate members of the International Congress of Maritime Museums;
Other interested individuals may be invited to attend meetings by the convenors and the host museum.
Membership of the group is registered to the individual rather than the museum so the participants do frequently change.
Current members include representation from the following museum bodies;
- Aberdeen Maritime Museum
- Allerdale Borough Council
- Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives
- Barrow Dock Museum
- Cutty Sark Trust
- Fleetwood Museum
- Great Yarmouth Museums
- Gwynedd Museums and Galleries
- Hants & IOW Trust for Maritime Archaeology
- Historic Dockyard Trust, Chatham
- HMS Belfast
- HMS Warrior 1860
- Hull Museums
- Imperial War Museum
- Isles of Scilly Museum
- Jersey Heritage
- Lancaster Maritime Museum
- Lydia Eva and Mincarlo Charitable Trust
- Maritime Heritage East
- Mary Rose Trust
- Merseyside Maritime Museum (NML)
- Museums and Galleries North Ireland
- Museum of Knots & Sailors Ropework
- Museum of Scottish Lighthouses
- National Museums Scotland
- National Historic Ships
- National Maritime Museum
- National Maritime Museum Amsterdam
- National Maritime Museum Cornwall
- National Museums Liverpool
- Plymouth City Museum
- RNLI Heritage Trust
- Royal Naval Museum
- Royal Marines Museum
- Southampton Ocean Liner Experience
- Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre
- SS Great Britain Trust
- Southampton City Council
- Scottish Maritime Museum
- Shetland Amenity Trust
- Scottish Fisheries Museum
- Science Museum
- Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums
- The Maritime Workshop
- The National Waterfront Museum, Swansea
- Topsham Museum
- University of SouthamptonArchaeology Centre
- Waterways Trust
Organisation
From the start, the group has been determinedly non-bureaucratic, with a Chair and a Secretary organising and running meetings in conjunction with host venues.