museum thumbnail
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
Gerald takes a bow

Stuffed giraffe being lowered to the groundRAMM's wonderful Victorian building on Queen Street closed on 1 December 2007 for a two and a half year, £15million programme of modernisation and transformation.

The Development Project aims to deliver a dynamic 21st-century museum, which interprets the past, enriches the present and responds to the future. It aims to improve the quality of the visitor experience for everyone; to reinterpret the collections, to improve access and understanding; and to encourage learning and enjoyment at all levels.
Although nearly all of the Museum's collection will be moved to RAMM's new, purpose-built store, some items including Gerald the Giraffe will remain in the building while the redevelopment takes place.
In December specialist museum contractors Constantine undertook the tricky job of moving Gerald from his present display position. Using gantries and hoists the well-loved giraffe was carefully lowered and is now packed and stored safely in the Natural History gallery awaiting his exciting future.
To ensure that Gerald had the best of attention, specialist museum contractors with experience of moving giraffes, were engaged for the move.
Girafe safely boxed and wrapped for storage

Volunteer Success at RAMM

Volunteers and Staff at RAMM with Investing in Volunteers certificateRAMM's vibrant volunteer programme has gained formal recognition achieving the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard, the UK's best practice standard for volunteering.


The volunteer programme was assessed against a range of best practice standards in the recruitment, involvement, support and retention of volunteers and it excelled in all aspects. RAMM is only the fourth Museum nationally, the first organisation in Exeter and the eighth in the South West to receive the award.

Exeter's Lead Councillor for Environment and Leisure, Connel Boyle said: "Gaining the Volunteers' Award is testament to the commitment of all our volunteers and staff. Our volunteers contribute a great deal to the delivery of RAMM's services and we are delighted that the volunteer scheme has been given this recognition. This award adds to an already impressive list of awards which demonstrate the Council's commitment to providing quality public services. "

iiv_rgb_100Volunteer activities form an integral part of RAMM's Out and About programme which will be taking the museum's exhibitions and activities out to Exeter and the rest of Devon while its Queen Street building is closed for modernisation and transformation until spring 2010.


For further information visit the Investing in Volunteers website

Lottery boost for Living Here Project
RAMM roadshow at Cowick InnThe Royal Albert Memorial Museum’s (RAMM) Living Here project received a boost in July with news that the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has contributed £48k towards it.  One of the major projects in RAMM’s Out and About programme, it also has substantial funding from Renaissance and a great deal of support from Exeter City Council. 

Exeter City Councillor and portfolio holder for Environment and Leisure, Connel Boyle, expressed the delight of the council: "Exeter has always been a city of communities, and this project, enhanced by this excellent help from the HLF, is going to bring lots of new opportunities to learn about and celebrate the history of the people of West Exe." 

_mg_2447_cropNerys Watts, Heritage Lottery Fund Manager in the South West said: "We want to get people excited about the history on their doorstep. This project will preserve the valuable heritage of the area to the west of the River Exe by bringing its stories to life, enabling community members to get involved and share their past. HLF is committed to giving everyone the opportunity to explore and enjoy their heritage." 

_mg_2458Living Here is a wide-ranging RAMM initiative that aims to involve people who live and work in Alphington, Cowick, Exwick and St Thomas in a project all about where they live – its past, present and future. Its about celebrating what makes that area special and will allow the stories of the people and places west of the River Exe to be told and preserved. As this is a new kind of project for RAMM and the amount of support we have received for it has been very encouraging. 


For more information call Sarah Scaife, Project Curator, on 01392 665327, Penny Hammond, Project Co-ordinator, on 01392 665306 or visit www.livinghere.org.uk 

Images taken at the Living Here Roadshow at the Cowick Barton Inn on Sunday 15 July 2007.

New Devon Community Museums Officer at RAMM
Portrait of Mary GodwinMary Godwin joined RAMM on 5 February as Community Museums Officer, a Renaissance funded post. Her remit is to support and develop community museums in Devon.  This will range from helping with Accreditation and training to brokering partnerships and projects which support the individual museums and address the regional and national strategic agenda.
  
Coming from Porthcurno Telegraph Museum, an independent museum situated about 2 miles from Land's End, Mary is familiar with the South West and is enthusiastic about her new role.

"So far I've spent lots of time visiting all the museums on my patch and getting to know everyone.  They are very varied and no two have the same issues or challenges facing them.  In West Devon we have started a new museums group and this area has some fascinating collections.  These include Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre at Lifton with its a world-class collection of historic fairground rides and Dartmoor Prison Heritage Centre which tells the often grisly story of the prison and its inmates - real potential here for attracting young people I think!  

"In East Devon I'm working closely with the museum group which has been up and running for some years now.  This area is a real contrast to the wilds of Dartmoor and part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.  I've been involved in meetings in a number of dainty seaside teashops which have been most enjoyable and it's great to be able to work on some cross border partnership working with Dorset.  I'm also working with two museums in the Exeter area: Topsham Museum and the Bill Douglas Centre at the University.  They are vastly different organisations but have an unusual connection through the actress Vivien Leigh!!

"In addition to site visits and information gathering, I've been applying for various pots of funding from the Museum Development Fund to support events and publicity for community museums over the coming year. I am also working on developing a training programme and various partnership project ideas. 

"So far, it's been a wonderful experience and I seem to have made the transfer from Cornwall to Devon without too much trouble, although I'm still not sure whether I put jam or cream on my scone first!  And I'll make sure I don't' get embroiled in the great debate about the origin of the pasty!"


If anyone would like to find out more please contact her at mary.godwin@exeter.gov.uk Tel: 01392 665967.

[ Back ]