Nick Merriman CEO of the Horniman Museum on improving accessibility and diversity in museums

Date: 5th March 2020

Episode: 2

Title: Nick Merriman CEO of Horniman Museum Forest Hill on improving accessibility and diversity in museums.

In this episode of Portrait of a Londoner we speak to Nick Merriman who is CEO of the Horniman Museum in South East London https://www.horniman.ac.uk/. He was formerly Director of the Manchester Museum. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Merriman

Portrait of a Londoner is a South-east London based podcast and in the first series we will be talking to people who live or work in Forest Hill, South-East London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Hill,_London. 

If you are a new listener to Portrait of a Londoner,  we would love to hear from you! Contact details are below 

In this episode, you we discuss:

• Diversity and accessibility in the museum world in general but also at the Horniman museum (02.00)
• Other museums in the UK and globally that are working to involve their local communities and improve accessibility including the Anacostia museum https://anacostia.si.edu/, Derby museums  https://www.derbymuseums.org/, and Glasgow’s Kelvingrove https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/kelvingrove-art-gallery-and-museum (11.08)
• His childhood (12.50)
• The relationship and influence of his wife who is director of The Tate https://www.tate.org.uk/ (17.13)
• Some of the places he goes to relax including Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge https://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/ (20.38)
• We close with plans for the Horniman for the remainder of 2020 and the role the Horniman plays in Lewisham Borough of Culture 2021 https://www.gold.ac.uk/news/lewisham-borough-of-culture-2021/

If you would like to find out more about the Horniman museum you can check them out on:  their 

Instagram @hornimanmuseumgardens

Twitter @hornimanmuseum

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Question: What is your experience or views on diversity and accessibility with respect to museums and galleries? 

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