World Collections Programme

The World Collections Programme (WCP) aims to establish two-way partnerships with
institutions in Asia and Africa, and increase their access to the UK collections and expertise.

Priority regions for cultural exchange

Africa
The Middle East

India
China

Participating UK institutions

British Museum
British Library
Natural History Museum
Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew)
Tate
Victoria and Albert Museum

WCP activities

Developing new relationships
Digistisation of the Collections enabling wider electronic access
Professional development, training, skill sharing and staff exchange
Non-English language access to the Collections (online, radio etc)
Public programme connected to exhibitions
Overseas exhibitions and loans
Join research and conservation opportunities

WCP projects

Find out about the different World Collections Programme projects:

Show all Africa projects

National Museums Kenya
Partnership project with National Museums Kenya

African Sound Archives
Giving the public access to African sounds in the British Library and Kenyan National Archives

National Museum, Addis Ababa
Gallery management, exhibition display and textile conservation training

Develop a partnership with the Institute of Ethiopian Studies
Greater access to UK-based Ethiopian collections

Money in Africa
Developing links between numismatic collections in the UK and Africa

African Digital Plants Resources
Digital record of African plant specimen

Show all Middle East projects

World Ceramics exhibition
The Victoria and Albert Museum touring exhibition travels to Damascus and Istanbul

Museum Management Seminar, Damascus
4-day seminar between the WCP partners and curators from Syria, Jordan and Palestine

Middle Eastern Contemporary Art
Building relationships between UK partners and artists and contemporary art institutions across the Middle East

Digital photograph exhibition, Kabul
Exhibition of digital copies of photographic images held in the archives of the six partner institutions

Show all India projects

Indian Life and Landscapes
A V&A-led touring exhibition to CSMVS Mumbai and the Mehrangarh Fort, Jodphur

Partnership with the Salar Jung Museum
A V&A-led staff exchange to develop a partnership focused on joint exhibitions and conservation projects

British Library in India
Digitisation of records and relationship building

Mewar Ramayana manuscripts
Digitally reuniting the manuscripts

Whose Landscape is it Anyway?
Debate about the issues surrounding conservation and economic development in South Asia

Numismatic Collections
Strengthening ties between British collections and specialists in India, Pakistan and elsewhere

Natural History Museum and the National Natural History Museum, New Delhi
Initial development of a partnership between these two organisations

Show all China projects

RBG Kew and China Seed Bank
Partnership project between RBG Kew and the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Natural History Museum and the Geological Museum of China, Beijing
Initial development of a partnership between these two organisations

International Dunhuang Project Internships
Internships for colleagues from Indian and Chinese institutions to work with the project

Multi-country projects

International Training Programme

Annual UK-based British Museum-led 6-week training programme for 24 international curators, artists and museum professionals to work with specialist staff at the World Collections Programme institutions and also develop skills in the basics of museum management. The World Collections Programme has provided funding for the 2008 and forthcoming 2009 training programmes.

This project also involves:

Tyne and Wear Museums
Lincoln - The Collection
Manchester Museum
Whitworth Art Gallery
Glasgow Museums
Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery
National Museum of Wales, Cardiff

Developing multi-lingual access to the collections

The World Collections Programme is providing funding to develop access to the collections in languages other than English.

Funding and administration

The WCP has DCMS funding of £1 million per year for three years (commenced 1 April 2008).

The network enables greater coordination of international activities between the six members. Chaired by BM Director Neil MacGregor, the programme also hopes to draw on current international partnerships through the BBC World Service, British Council, Foreign Office and other UK bodies.

Contact

For more information contact Katie Childs, WCP Coordinator
email kchilds@britishmuseum.org
+44 (0)20 7323 8374

The Museum