The weekly feature rounds up the latest updates in museum appointments, openings, funding and new exhibitions from across the UK.
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Appointments
The Strawberry Hill Trust has appointed Dr David Gaimster as the new director of Strawberry Hill House, the Gothic revival house and attraction in Twickenham. The new appointment brings international museum and heritage experience from his previous roles as CEO of the South Australia Museum and Auckland War Memorial Museum. Dr Gaimster, formerly served as director of the Hunterian at University of Glasgow and general secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of London.
A new director has been appointed at Oxford University’s Museum of Natural History. Dr Gavin J. Svenson will start in post in September, and will become a Fellow of Kellogg College, Oxford. The new appointment takes over from Professor Paul Smith, who retired in September 2024 after 13 years in the position.
American curator appointed director of University of Oxford Museum of Natural History
Openings & closures
Norwich Castle‘s medieval Keep will reopen to the public on 7 August 2025 following a £13m restoration that has transformed the 900-year-old Norman royal palace back to its original glory, complete with reinstated medieval floors and rooms. The project, one of the UK’s largest heritage openings this year, makes it the country’s most accessible castle with lifts to all five floors and features a new Gallery of Medieval Life showcasing nearly 1,000 medieval artifacts in partnership with the British Museum.
Norwich Castle Keep sets reopening date following £13m restoration
London Museum has announced plans for a new street-front parade of shops, restaurants, cafes and offices called “Houses” to accompany the much-anticipated museum opening in 2026, expected to attract over two million visitors annually. The ambitious cultural regeneration project, centred around the historic General Market building in Smithfield, is projected to contribute £565 million in economic value to London and the UK economy.
Exhibitions
‘Treasure: History Unearthed’ at the Museum of Liverpool presents the largest collection of archaeological treasures ever displayed in the North West of England and Wales, featuring Viking silver, Bronze Age hoards, Medieval gold brooches, Roman rings, and coins from various periods. The exhibition includes over 30 items from the British Museum collection, objects from Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, and the internationally significant Mold Gold Cape, with interpretation available in both English and Welsh. The exhibition runs from 13 September 2025 – 29 March 2026.
‘Tailoring an Image’ displays the extensive wardrobe of Urban Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven, featuring bespoke garments made by Savile Row tailor H. Huntsman & Sons. The exhibition at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire showcases unique pieces including bright red leather cropped riding breeches, a wine-coloured velvet smoking suit from 1962, evening suits, silk dressing gowns, shoes and hats, alongside original Huntsman ledgers and fabric samples. The exhibition runs 1 July 2025 – 31 October 2025.
‘Penny McCarthy: How to Look Through Time’ at Sheffield’s Graves Gallery presents McCarthy’s drawings in dialogue with Titian’s ‘The Submersion of Pharaoh’s Army in the Red Sea’ (c. 1549), a work comprising 12 individually printed woodcuts from the 16th century. The exhibition includes McCarthy’s works on paper, a series of glass works titled ‘The Light of Other Days’, and a new short film created with filmmaker Hugo Glendinning. 12 July 2025 – 20 December 2025.
‘Virtual Beauty’ at Somerset House in London examines the impact of digital culture and technologies on contemporary beauty definitions through works by over 20 international artists. The exhibition features interactive installations including ORLAN’s Omniprésence (1993), a live-streamed facial aesthetic surgery performance, Amalia Ulman’s Excellences & Perfections, AI-generated portraits by Minnie Atairu, Ben Cullen Williams, and Isamaya Ffrench, and works exploring digital self-expression by Harriet Davey, Frederik Heyman, and Andrew Thomas Huang. The exhibition runs from 23 July 2025 – 28 September 2025.
‘Future of Food’ explores food production from ancient history to future biotechnology through objects including a 3,500-year-old loaf of bread, the first beef steak grown outside a cow, and cricket burger packaging. The exhibition features interactive exhibits examining food sustainability, genetic diversity conservation efforts including Norway’s seed vaults, Cardiff’s organic food subsidy schemes and Peru’s community kitchens. Science Museum in London presents this free exhibition from 24 July 2025 – 4 January 2026.
Funding
Art Fund has opened applications for its latest round of Reimagine grants, offering up to £50,000 for innovative projects that help organisations reimagine their work with collections. Applications are available to organisations that hold permanent collections and must be submitted by 12 August, with the programme aiming to build capacity, engage audiences, and encourage partnerships across the sector.
A new £4m fund has been launched to support the sustainability of Scotland’s museums and galleries. Museum Futures is a new partnership programme developed by the Scottish Government, Museums Galleries Scotland, and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
New £4m programme supports sustainability in Scotland’s museums
