The National Lottery Heritage Fund is working with Heather Lomas and Emma Chaplin to research the current landscape for UK museum collections, including industrial heritage collections. The research focuses on how collections are stored, acquired, and rationalised, as well as the extent to which stored collections are accessible to the public. The findings will directly…
Author: mikenevell
I am the Industrial Heritage Support Officer for England, based at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
Early Engines Database Finds New Home With the AIA
The Early Engines Database of eighteenth century steam engines has a new permanent home, courtesy of the Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA). The database is a record of the steam engines constructed in the United Kingdom up to the end of the year 1800. It records only the first erection of each engine, (although what…
Social Media Use in 2025 – Are Industrial Heritage Charities Still on X?
Facebook remainded the most popular social media platform for most Industrial Heritage sites in England during during 2025. According to Industrial Heritage Network members, hundreds of sites are hosting Facebook pages. There was also a noticeable increase in the use of the LinkedIn platform, although the numbers remain in the low tens. Dozens of industrial…
Charity Digital’s Advice On How to Set Up a ‘Just Giving’ Page
The start of a new year coincides with the middle of the annual the shut down period for many industrial heritage sites across Britain. Its a time to plan for the future, and many industrial heritage sites will be grappling with securing their finances in 2026, after a year of challenges in 2025. The ‘Just…
Historic Environment Scotland’ ‘Inform Guide’ to Ceramic Tiled Flooring
Historic Environment Scotland (HES)’s ‘Inform Guide’ on ceramic tiled floors is available to download. Fired clay tiles have been in use since the Middle Ages, and a large manufactruign industry developed in the 18th and 19th centuries. The guide gives a brief overview of the traditional, and often decorative, floor tiles. The Inform Guide explores…
Winners of 2025 National Railway Heritage Awards Announced
The 2025 National Railway Heritage Awards – established in 1979 to recognise best practice in the re-use, restoration and upkeep of historic railway and tramway buildings – were presented on 3 December by the Minister for Rail, Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill. This year’s honours included the restoration of the former Cambrian Railways headquarters…
CBA & MOLA Publish “Trowel and Error” – A Public User Needs Survey for Archaeology
The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) and Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) have published, online, a new survey of public users’ needs for archaeology. The “Trowel and Error” report is the most comprehensive study in 25 years exploring how people across the UK engage with, value, and access archaeological information. The research was led by…
Research on Land and Outdoor Spaces Management for Museums Published
New research published by AIM, the Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and NMDC, explores the opportunities and challenges presented by museum land and outdoor spaces. The report includes two industrial museum case studies (Greenfield Heritage Park and Wheal Martyn), as well as a toolkit that allows museums and heritage organisations to start putting the recommendations…
Entries Open for ‘Alan Ball’ Local Studies Publication & E-publication Awards
The 2025 Allan Ball local studies awards are now open for nominations. Run by the Library Services Trust and CILIP Local Studies Group, the object of these awards is to encourage the production of high quality publically or locally funded local history publications. There are three categories to enter; Print publication, E-publication, and a Community…
Museum Development England’s Annual Museum Survey Published for 2025
The Annual Museum Survey undertaken by Museum Development England provides insights into the sector’s health as well as the challenges and opportunities it is facing. By benchmarking data generated every year, it has been possible to spotlight past and current trends such as the impact of the pandemic on volunteering and finances. Earlier this year Museum Development England published the Annual Museums…
Industrial Heritage Support 