Further information
Collections
The major collection management project this year has been the upgrade of the Documentation System and has involved a great deal of detailed work by the curatorial team. The main tasks have been cleansing data ready for the transfer to the new upgraded system which involves ensuring consistency of terminology which is a huge task when dealing across disciplines. Retrospective documentation has also been carried out for example in preparation for York Castle Prison we have had to catalogue all the craft workshop objects before removing from display. The W A Ismay collection of British Studio Pottery has also been completed allowing a selection to be displayed in the Gallery of Pots. Given that there are 3,400 items plus an archive this has been a major task taking several years. The upgrade of the new information system Adlib was a major initiative for the collections team and we are still working closely with the experts from the Adlib team to ensure that all the processes go smoothly. The improved functionality of the systems will aid our work immeasurably.
A new store was taken on to accommodate the removal of collections from the old displays in Half Moon Court and the Cells. The archaeology collections at our Birch Park store were re-organised so that public access could be introduced and initial tours for local groups have proved to be very popular.
We continue to add to the collections, notably by a huge pot by Felicity Aylieff that was acquired with the support of the Art Fund and the V&A Grant Purchase Fund, and a significant collection from the late Henry Rothschild’s personal collection of pots which will go on display in the new Gallery of Pots. Members of the Chinese community also helped our curators make some new purchases for the social history collection and we were pleased to add to the military collection with a uniform from the 1st Battalion of The Yorkshire Regiment in Iraq complete with accessories. The Friends of York Art Gallery were generous in the costs of conserving the popular Return to the Front by Richard Jack which was a centrepiece in Tracy Chevalier’s selection for the A Thousand Words exhibition.
During this year we have been talking with the British Museum about a joint acquisition of a Viking Hoard which is now called the Vale of York Hoard. Raising the necessary funding has now taken place but much of the work was done behind the scenes and we can now announce that the Hoard is now publicly owned.
Community Outreach has continued to be a popular element of our archaeological team with the continuation of the Community Archaeology project and with finds identification days for Portable Antiquities held throughout the year.