HISTORY and art experts are being sought as part of an £18.4m county museum and gallery redevelopment project

Herefordshire Museum Service are forming a Curatorial Advisory Panel (CAP) to oversee the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery scheme and are looking for specialists in various fields.

The CAP will aim to bring together local and national professionals to support the redevelopment of the museum.

Experts are being invited to apply in the following areas:

  • Arms & Armour
  • Contemporary Arts
  • Costume and Textiles
  • Decorative Arts
  • Early Medieval Period
  • Fine Arts
  • General Local History 
  • Geology
  • Iron Age and Roman Period
  • Late Medieval Period
  • Late Modern Period
  • Natural History
  • Numismatics
  • Photography
  • Social History

A council spokesperson said: “This is an exceptional opportunity to advise on the development of the exhibition themes and narratives of the permanent displays in the new museum and art gallery.

“CAP members will offer support and provide their insights, recommendations, and assistance in curating and interpreting collections during this exciting transformation.”

Criteria for applicants are:

  1. Expertise: At least five years of professional experience in a relevant field, with a strong background in research, academic work, or hands-on practice.
  2. Experience: Proven skills in research, preservation, or showcasing collections.
  3. Local Knowledge: Familiarity with the history and culture of Herefordshire and nearby areas.
  4. Advisory Skills: Ability to provide strategic advice and valuable feedback.

Anyone who fits the bill and is excited about contributing to the redevelopment can email [email protected] with "Curatorial Advisory Panel" as the subject line.

Applications are due by Sunday, September 1, 2024.

The museum is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from everyone, regardless of gender, age, marital status, disability, religion, ethnicity, political views, sexual orientation, or family circumstances.

If you have a disability that makes writing difficult, please call 01432 260 485 to discuss alternative ways to apply. 

CAP members travel expenses will be reimbursed and they will receive a small financial recognition for their contribution to the group. 

The opportunity comes as the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery, part of the Herefordshire Museum Service, prepares for a major redevelopment.

The goal is to become a cultural beacon in the region, offering dynamic new ways for people to engage with the area's unique heritage.

It will be home to the ‘Herefordshire Hoard’, one of the most significant early medieval treasure finds in Britain.

Recently loaned to York’s Jorvik Viking Centre, it was discovered near Leominster in 2015 by two detectorists who later served jail terms for trying to illegally sell items.

The hoard includes a gold arm bangle with beast head clasp, a pendant made from a sphere of rock crystal mounted in gold, a gold octagonal ring with black inlay and 29 rare coins mostly of Alfred the Great of Wessex and Ceolwulf II of Mercia.

It is thought to have been buried around 878, perhaps as part of a high-status Viking hoard, and is huge significant as it provided evidence that the Viking army came further south than previously thought.

Herefordshire Hoard
A selection of items from the Herefordshire Hoard (Herefordshire CC)

The Curatorial Advisory Panel is being made possible through the support of National Lottery players and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Herefordshire Museum Service has been safeguarding the county’s cultural heritage since 1874.

The service run three sites across the county: Hereford Museum and Art Gallery and the Black and White House Museum and the Museum Resource and Learning Centre.

The service is going through an exciting period of change as it transitions to being a social-engaged organisation.