Article: David Styles | Image: A display of the Trust's Founding Words at Stoneywell © National Trust
A brief exploration of which news stories and features Museums + Heritage Advisor readers have engaged with most throughout a year like no other.
One of our most read articles of the year just so happens to have aged the worst.
Fans of irony, enjoy…
https://museumsandheritage.com/features/2020-museum-openings-a-sneak-peek-at-what-to-expect-this-year/
The two most read of all our news stories in 2020, this duo transport us back to a moment when uncertainty was rife and the future was about as opaque as it could possibly be for the sector.
https://museumsandheritage.com/news/museums-around-the-world-respond-to-coronavirus-fears/
https://museumsandheritage.com/news/tate-and-national-trust-the-latest-big-names-to-close-during-coronavirus-shutdown/
Irreverence has been key to maintaining sanity this year. As such, it’s perhaps unsurprising that this article exploring museums’ more entertaining responses to social distancing signage proved very popular.
https://museumsandheritage.com/features/signs-of-the-times-how-museums-made-social-distancing-signage-an-art-form/
Evidence, as if it were needed, that many of our readers are not only industry professionals but also museum nerds. This article exploring what the BBC would be broadcasting in its initial lockdown mini-series of culture programming quickly racked up a high number of views.
https://museumsandheritage.com/news/museums-in-quarantine-part-of-new-bbc-arts-lockdown-programming/
Despite the pandemic’s omnipresent shadow, some other hugely significant issues have come to the fore in 2020. The Black Lives Matter movement has stimulated debate long stifled in the heritage sector. As the high figures for this article show, it’s an issue many readers care about.
https://museumsandheritage.com/features/black-lives-matter-benin-bronzes-and-britishness-how-can-uk-museums-decolonise/
Another of our most popular news stories, the announcement that Museum of London was collecting relics of life during the pandemic seemed to foster a feeling that museums were back to doing museum things – and by extension, a semblance of normality had been restored.
https://museumsandheritage.com/news/museums-of-london-begins-collecting-objects-and-stories-of-covid-19-in-the-capital/
September’s announcement from Birmingham Museums Trust that Sara Wajid and Zak Mensah were to become its joint CEOs certainly caught the sector’s attention. This story became both one of our most read and most popular on Twitter.
https://museumsandheritage.com/news/birmingham-museums-trust-appoints-trailblazers-sara-wajid-and-zak-mensah-as-joint-ceos/
While the traditional black tie may have been usurped by any old colour of jogging bottoms for many of the 4,300 viewers, the first ever virtual Museums + Heritage Awards still celebrated the sector’s achievements with its customary gusto this year. A rundown of who won what also garnered plenty of interest.
https://museumsandheritage.com/features/who-won-what-at-the-museums-heritage-awards-2020/
Finally, our most read feature of the year was a symbol that museums are not neutral and, even in the toughest of times, are willing to stand up for what’s right.
https://museumsandheritage.com/features/the-first-uk-museum-has-officially-joined-the-facebook-boycott-should-others-follow/
Thank you all for your continued, unwavering support throughout an unbelievably challenging year. Each and every view of our stories has made it worthwhile.
The M+H team will continue to do all we can to ensure you are updated and entertained in 2021 and beyond.
