Jim Richardson

January 23 2025 By Manuel Charr People are now living longer than ever before. The average life expectancy around the globe is rising year on year.

Museum professionals know that collections can be a gateways to connection, creativity, and even healing. But what happens when those objects inspire something unexpected, like dance? University of Cambridge Museums (UCM) decided to find out.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington is setting an inspiring precedent for how museums can support people living with dementia.

January 29 2025 By Manuel Charr At the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM) in Exeter, a unique initiative is harnessing

Imagine you're in a care home. Days blend together. Conversations, when they happen, feel repetitive. The outside world feels distant. Imagine a museum coming to you—its stories, artefacts, and cultural weight arriving right at your doorstep.

Museums have long been places of storytelling, memory, and connection. But how can they serve those whose memories are fading? Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales is answering this question with its pioneering Museums Inspiring Memories project, a three-year initiative that places the voices of people affected by dementia at the heart of its work.

A few miles north of Paso Robles we come up over a rise on a rolling two-lane road through Central California’s golden, hilly wine country and spot a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr coupe on a hill in the distance. It looks like a Brancusi sculpture. Its gleaming, dark merlot paintwork and its swooping lines contrast sharply with the square, functional corrugated buildings around it. We know we have arrived.

What if museums could hack human psychology to create deeper, more transformative experiences? It turns out, they can—through awe. Research shows that awe not only captivates visitors but also enhances wellbeing, critical thinking, and emotional resilience. So how can museums tap into this potent force?

Museums are increasingly demonstrating their value beyond traditional cultural spaces, finding new ways to engage diverse audiences and contribute to professional development across sectors. A recent collaboration between the National Gallery of Canada and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) exemplifies how art museums can play a pivotal role in strengthening clinical soft skills and team cohesion within healthcare settings.

One glance at a late 1937, ‘38 or ‘39 Darl’mat 402 Special Sport tells you it’s classic Art Deco French. Those swoopy airfoil fenders reminiscent of custom coachbuilder Saoutchik’s Delahayes, as well as Ettore Bugatti’s creations of the era are the giveaway. Also, the almost cubist bright work trim and the sweptback grille absolutely smack of late Third Republic Parisian chic.