May 2004
Contents
Ecsite-uk awarded 2 Copus grants
Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service
Queen's Award for Scottish Seabird Centre
Diary Dates: Raising the Stakes in Fundraising, 25 June; Successful collaboration, 7 July
News from the Ecsite-uk Office
Data Collection 2004
Ecsite-uk has commissioned Emma King and Tim Caulton to undertake a piece of research into how science and discovery centres currently gather visitor data.
The museum and galleries sector has begun to appreciate the value of robust, accurate and standardised data about its users, particularly when making the case for funding and political support, and a number of large scale data gathering exercises are currently under way (most notably through Renaissance in the Regions, see www.inspiringlearningforall.gov.uk). Ecsite-uk is trying to establish how far its members are currently able to meet the same data standards.
Questionnaires have been e-mailed to all Ecsite-uk member institutions, for completion by 21 May, 2004.
If you have any queries about the research or the questionnaire please contact
mail@timcaulton.co.uk or emma-king@ntlworld.com
Developments in the Sector
Ecsite-uk awarded 2 Copus grants
The Copus Grant Schemes celebrated their 17th year of providing funding for science communication activities by awarding a record £758,000 of grants to projects across the UK.
Two new Ecsite-uk projects received grants, and the Project Managers are now in discussion with partner science centres/museums to deliver the activities nationwide:
Science in Collections, managed by Dr Rosalind Mist, will develop the skills and confidence of art/historical museum staff to create enquiry-based learning activities engaging families with the science in museum collections.
Go for it! With sciZmic Science, managed by Dr Louise Webb, is a partnership between GirlguidingUK and 12 UK science and discovery centres, to develop and deliver 'sciZmic Science' Go For It! events for guides and training for Guide Leaders.
For details, see www.copus.org.uk/grants_awarded.html
Developments in the Sector
Join the fifth Big Draw
Drawing Power, the campaign for drawing, is now recruiting venues to organise events as part of the UK-wide celebration of drawing. The Big Draw spans October, but you may opt for the Big Draw Day (16th), half term, or link with Family Learning Week (11-17th).
This year's theme is 'Inside/Outside: People, Structures and Spaces', and is linked to the major BBC Autumn series on the natural history of Britain.
Once registered, organisers will receive a CD with publicity materials, then regular e-mail updates as plans progress. For inclusion in The Big Draw Guide, register your events online by 13 August.
Register for free online at www.thebigdraw.org.uk
Resource
Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service
VAQAS provides tools for attractions operators to enhance quality and promote best practice in a sector extending from science centres to historic houses. The Service offers a consumer-focused quality assessment helping to identify strengths and highlight areas needing development, based on sector-wide examples. Attractions of all sizes, throughout England benefit from participation, including already some 15 Ecsite members!
For an annual fee, VAQAS offers:
- Best practice guidance
- Self-assessment toolkit
- Quality assessment visit
- Instant one-to-one feedback
- Full report for reference
- Special-topic advice leaflets, eg Accessibility in Visitor Attractions
- Accreditation - 'Quality Assured Visitor Attraction'
- Enhanced promotion on [archived page - link removed]
For details: [archived page - link removed]
News from the Regions
Queen's Award for Scottish Seabird Centre
Scottish Seabird Centre at North Berwick is first-time winner of a Queen's Award for Enterprise - for Sustainable Development - for their innovative approach to sustainable tourism through their remote camera viewing of seabirds.
The Centre has installed solar powered cameras in island seabird nesting grounds, from where pictures are beamed back live to the centre on the mainland. Visitor numbers have continued to grow year on year since it first opened, a testament to the popularity of its approach.
Diary Dates
Raising the Stakes in Fundraising
Dana Centre, South Kensington: 25 June, 11am-4pm
This Specialist Seminar, funded by the Wellcome Trust and convened by Ecsite-uk offers Senior Managers the opportunity to tap the experience and expertise of UK leaders in fundraising for science and cultural organisations.
Speakers:
Prof Frank Burnet, Graphic Science, University of the West of England
William Conner, Managing Director, Brakeley Limited
Nick Dixon, Senior Consultant, ABL Cultural Consulting
It is strongly advised that two senior level representatives from your organisation attend this day: ideas raised from the parallel workshops (1 - strategies for accessing private sources of funding and for building relationships with key stakeholders; 2 - case studies of successful and unsuccessful application for public sector grant funding) have been designed to complement each other when implemented.
For details, contact Seminar Co-ordinator, Simone Hardy:
simone.hardy@the-ba.net
Successful Collaboration
Dana Centre, South Kensington: 7 July, 11am-4pm
Also funded by the Wellcome Trust and convened by Ecsite-uk, 'Successful collaboration' offers Senior Managers the opportunity to share international experience in collaborative projects: what are the models for partnership? The pitfalls to look out for? The most effective conflict-resolution strategies?
Panellists:
Andrea Bandelli, Consultant, Amsterdam
Dennis Schatz, Pacific Science Centre, Seattle
Gillian Thomas, Miami Museum of Science
The panellists are all members of the ReDiscover Fund Advisory Board, which meets at the Wellcome Trust the day before our Seminar.
If you are already involved in a collaborative project, or are considering getting into bed with Ecsite partners, do get in touch.
For details: enquiries@ecsite-uk.net
Ecsite-uk
Dr Melanie Quin, Executive Director Ecsite-uk: the Science and Discovery Centre Network
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