Tiffany Jenks

Community Heritage Coordinator, Clutha District Libraries, New Zealand.

2023 OPP England Participant

“If you're fresh out of uni or early into your career, OPP is an excellent programme to dip your toes into many aspects of the industry. It's an opportunity to learn and engage with people who are truly passionate about what they do, and the programme literally opens doors which you would never get behind otherwise. For me, this was a trip of a lifetime. I was so fortunate to have completed it with such intelligent and fun heritage professionals from across the globe. I greatly valued the dialogue with my fellow travellers and enjoyed their company immensely.”

Joanne Sidlovsky Grant

Collections Manager, Art Conservation de Rigueur, San Francisco, California

2023 OPP England Participant

“The English Open Palace Programme is cleverly designed to appeal to both emerging heritage professionals and active heritage professionals alike! With a combination of hands-on (literally) sessions and lectures from some of the most knowledgeable and passionate individuals who promote and support English history (and pre-history), the programme reminds us that there is ALWAYS something new to be learned! And the more you participate, and ask questions, and speak with the professionals, the more you will get out of this fascinating, engaging, thoughtful, and educational programme.”

Nicola Zaaiman

Collections Assistant - Photography at MTG Hawke's Bay
New Zealand

2019 OPP Particpant

Read about OPP on her blog: www.nicolazaaiman.com

Serena Ypelaar

Museum Professional and Writer
Founder & Editor-in-Chief,
The Mindful Rambler

2019 OPP Scotland Particpant

Given my interest in museum interpretation, visitor experience, history, literature, and biographical storytelling, the Open Palace Programme looked like the perfect professional opportunity. I couldn’t wait to discover more about the UK museum industry through engaging hands-on workshops. Interacting with the staff at each institution on the Scottish itinerary, as well as meeting my fellow OPP participants, has immensely enriched my outlook on global heritage, and I’ve learned so much about museum practice. 

During the programme we had the opportunity to propose exhibitions, come up with interpretive content, revitalize existing spaces, and recommend conservation strategies at the museums and heritage sites we visited. The breadth of institutions was so diverse that I find it difficult to choose just one favourite. Our visit to Her Majesty’s Yacht

Britannia offered insight into the process of creating a memorable visitor experience. At Vindolanda, we practiced archaeological drawing and enjoyed an incredible workshop on Roman food interpretation. At Alnwick Castle, we learned about the integral value of educational programming at a high-profile site, and at Traquair, Mount Stuart, and Abbotsford we discovered ways to animate country estates in order to immerse visitors in Scottish heritage. 

One of the best things about the programme was the chance to interact with objects of national significance behind the scenes and learn the stories that come with them. Though I had prior experience in object handling, nothing beats coming within range of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s pistols or holding a volume of Robbie Burns’ poetry – annotated by the author himself! On top of that, I have made some great international contacts in the field. I’m so grateful to have befriended such dynamic museum professionals and I’ve learned so much in collaborating with them! Alongside the opportunity to further develop my museological knowledge in an interactive setting, the Open Palace Programme has given me fond memories, new skills, and interpretive strategies I will take with me in my heritage career.

Amanda Swadling

Museum Educator
National Capital Authority, Canberra, Australia

2018 OPP Participant

Read about OPP on her blog: Museums are Awesome

Rebecca Lush

Curator
Integrated Pathology Learning Centre,
The University of Queensland

2016 OPP Participant

Read about OPP on her blog: Curate Your Own Museum

I had the privilege to join with a range of heritage professionals and students on the OPP Scotland Programme in 2019. What a fantastic opportunity and I would encourage anyone at any stage of their career to take part. I am an archivist working in a Prep to Year 12 School with the responsibility of managing their archive and a small museum. While my school is only 38 years young I gained so much insight and knowledge from the programme that I could apply to my work today and

contemplate what other heritage areas I would like to explore in the future. Beginning in the beautiful city of Edinburgh we were eased into the schedule with a tour of the old city then we had some time to wander at our leisure. The next two and a bit weeks were filled with a vast range of sites to visit from Palaces and family estates to archaeological diggings. Whatever your area of expertise this programme allows you to share your knowledge and build on what you know learning from experts in your field. At these sites we would be given private tours then the specialists which included; archivists, curators, conservators and family owners, would share their experiences.

A beneficial part of the visits were the workshops designed for us to complete by the professionals which could be quite challenging but interesting and worthwhile. These covered the many aspects of the heritage sector; guiding, conservation both artefact and building, education, archiving, storage and the list goes on. On completion we would come together to share with each other getting a broad overview of diverse opinions. What was surprising is that on the whole the professionals wanted to hear and implement our views and ideas.

Overall there were so many highlights that it is hard to pin just one down, however, St Mungo Museum of Religious life and Art in Glasgow was right up there. Not only is this a wonderful collection to see but the experience of choosing objects in a group to then decide how they should be displayed was invaluable. We were challenged in how to respectfully but truthfully show these items in a way that would provoke discussion and thought.

Months after doing this journey I am still processing what I was able to be a part of. I have come away with an invaluable experience, especially in meeting my fellow OPPers.

When I first read about the Open Palace Programme, I knew it was the perfect professional development opportunity as I re-entered the workforce after maternity leave.  I had majored in history and political science; my professional career was in the public sector and I was looking for a way to extend my heritage education/experience without returning to university. I was impressed with the variety of sites and heritage disciplines that were covered in the itinerary and felt that the OPP would make an impact on my updated resume.  The OPP syllabus is intense and extensive, the access at sites clearly emphasises this a professional learning opportunity and not a fun history themed holiday.  

The calibre of professionals we learnt from was first class. They were all willing to share knowledge, explain their heritage education and career paths.  The professionals were incredibly inspiring and demonstrated high levels of dedication and commitment to the heritage profession.

I had specific goals for the programme in exhibition design, collections care and management and they were all met. The opportunity to talk to fellow emergent professionals and create a global professional network was invaluable. Hearing different ideas and perspectives for the same problem/concept during group work was enlightening.  Highlights of the group activities were designing an education plan at the Museum of Bath Architecture, planning a temporary Christmas exhibition at No. 1 Royal Crescent, making ‘sausages’ and ‘puffs’ as part of the object handling and packing task at Windsor Castle and the salvage exercise and event planning at Apsley House.

To optimise your time and investment I recommend having the confidence to ask the professionals questions; they are happy to answer and/or a fellow participant could add further insight from their experiences.  Plan and budget for your free time so you can see extra sites of interest and therefore pack accordingly i.e. swimwear for a rooftop swim in Bath or in the ocean at Brighton.

The OPP is a wonderful opportunity, I feel well rewarded as I believe the knowledge gained at historic English sites of international importance can be transferred to sites and institutions in New Zealand and have gained confidence for my continuing career in the heritage field.  

I participated in the OPP with the financial assistance of bursaries and scholarships from Museums Aotearoa, Rimanui Rural Women New Zealand, Police Credit Union – New Zealand, Katikati Pakeke Lions and Katikati Rotary.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Open Palace Programme experience in Scotland in 2018. For me, it validated the experiences and challenges I face in my own professional practice and encouraged me to continue pursuing my career goals in this incredibly competitive industry.  In addition to this, I found both the group leaders and my fellow participants to be incredibly supportive and I feel I have built strong personal and professional networks across the world.

Meeting with industry professionals, from curators and conservators, to archivists and guides helped me to gain an understanding of international standards in museum practice and grow my own professional skills. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the challenges set to us by the National Trust for Scotland or the Royal Collection Trust were real-world scenarios they themselves were trying to resolve. These challenges ranged from curating the interpretation of a new physic garden at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to devising ways of increasing both physical and digital access to archival material at Traquair House. At the vast majority of sites we visited, hosts made us feel welcome and were clearly interested to hear what we had to contribute. They were willing to listen, give feedback and even provide us with career advice and support. The recurring theme across Scotland seemed to be an ever-shrinking pool of funds and external support to preserve and protect the important cultural institutions we visited; however, this was counterbalanced by incredibly dedicated and passionate museum professionals who were enthusiastic about encouraging all OPP participants to keep working hard to achieve their career goals.

This program provides a unique opportunity to get to know emerging industry professionals from around the world and build lifelong friendships. I know that in the future, I will be able to draw on these connections for advice and support. Apart from that, it is, quite simply, really nice to travel around such a beautiful country, exploring museums and historic houses with such kind and dedicated like-minded individuals!

Grace Carruthers

Heritage Interpreter and Guide
Schneider Haus National Historic Site, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

2018 OPP Participan

I consider myself an advocate for experiential education. It was my hope that The Open Palace Programme would allow me to discuss the efficacy of learning through doing with developers in my field, as it pertained to their own sites. In truth, I learned a great deal about experiential education through the design of the OPP alone.

Our group of emerging professionals were repeatedly treated to respectful, engaging, and stimulating experiences. You can browse the itinerary for gorgeous photographs of over ten uniquely Scottish manors and palaces we visited, but they can’t represent the satisfaction of unfettered access to professionals and collections in your desired museum field, whatever it may be. Each task we were given was challenging in a way that spoke to our hosts’ respect for our enthusiasm and skills. The tours we attended were perfectly tailored to our varied niche interests. The sites chosen gave us a wide scope of what Scottish heritage and museums have to offer, without ever being irrelevant. I learned about my field while knee-deep in it.

All this, AND I got to share the experience with wonderful new friends. Each of the attendees brought a unique and often hilarious perspective to our visits. Through them, this Canadian was able to gather valuable insight on international heritage and museum work, while saving significantly on airfare.  But really, my experiences were enriched by sharing them with people whose interests so closely match my own.

I’m sure I’ve only scratched the surface of how this programme will contribute to my future growth. The OPP has given me a new lens through which to view my work, whichever direction I pursue. I am so excited to put everything I learned into practice, and proud to say that the OPP is a component of my professional identity.

Loran McNamara

Assistant Curator of
Accoutrements and Social History
National Army Museum Te Mata Toa

2018 OPP Participant

I was thrilled to be selected for the first Open Palace Programme in Scotland 2018. I was excited to learn about how to care for and curate Scottish palaces, and the programme did not disappoint.

The programme was thoughtfully developed and took us to a range of historical homes, castles and museums. From beautifully designed castles, to dearly loved family manors, it was surprising to learn from owners and guides about the local, national and international connections these fascinating palaces have. It was also incredibly exciting to be provided special access to view precious archival and collection stores.

Workshops that were specifically designed for the group asked us to develop strategies on the current interpretation and public access of each site. It was humbling to see these professionals genuinely interested in our ideas, and that we were treated as equals by engaging in robust debates about the current challenges of each place.

One of the highlights for me was the exhibition workshop at St Mungo’s Museum for Religious Art and Life. It was challenging to pick from a range of potentially controversial religious objects for display and interpretation. The curator at St Mungo’s was both professional and personable, sharing his career developments and the many challenges that come with curating a religious museum in an increasingly secular city. His insights have greatly shaped how I now perceive my own work in a military museum.

This programme also allowed me to develop new connections with other emerging heritage enthusiasts from across the world, and their own experiences enriched the programme. I also now feel very lucky to now call these great bunch of people my friends, and I can’t wait to meet up with them again and see how their career progresses.

Allison Burnett

Former Curator at Shelburne County Museum, Shelburne
Nova Scotia

2018 OPP Participant

As a museum professional in the early stages of my career, I decided to participate in the Open Palace Programme for a few reasons. In the spring of 2018 I had just completed a two-year post as Curator at the Shelburne County Museum, in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. I had planned for my next career steps to include a move to the UK with a working holiday visa and a search for work in museums here. Participating in this programme seemed to be an incredible opportunity to learn about the heritage field in this country, and make contacts in the industry. In this way the programme fully met my expectations!

I was also excited to have a chance to travel in Scotland for three weeks and to visit and learn about the castles, palaces and historic houses on the Scottish Itinerary. During this programme when we visited these sites we didn’t simply take a tour and meet members of the staff. We were enthusiastically invited behind the scenes to learn about the work being done to manage and improve the sites. We were then asked to draw on our own unique experiences to contribute ideas and engage in problem solving in the areas of interpretation, conservation, curation and programming. For me it was exceptionally fascinating to see how certain challenges that have become familiar to me in my own museum career are also faced by those who work to share such unique Scottish sites and their stories with the public.

For me, one of the best things about learning at the beautiful heritage sites included in this tour was the fantastic group of like-minded people I got to do it with. I’ve found the friendships that I’ve developed with the other programme participants to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of the whole experience. On top of the connections I’ve made in the UK, thanks to the OPP I now have contacts with colleagues who have become friends in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the US!

I feel very lucky to have been selected as a participant in the Open Palace Programme for 2017. I chose to apply for the program as I felt it would be a great opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the working environment of heritage sites and museums, and it delivered. I had never been to England before so I was also very excited that I would get to see some of the cities, museums, palaces and landmarks that I had always dreamed of visiting!

After participating in the program, I feel that it has enriched my understanding of the challenges that staff in museums and heritage sites face. Most of our sessions were led by staff from these institutions that were really informative and interactive, and challenged us to ourselves think about the best ways to manage buildings and materials conservation, exhibition design, visitor expectations, fundraising and collections care.

I loved our sessions where we were able to go behind-the-scenes, for example to the collections store at Kensington Palace, and the tapestry conservation lab at Hampton Court Palace. Another favourite was our session plastering at the Regency Town House, and our lovely formal dinner at Stowe.

Having completed this program, I feel that it will be a great help to me in the future as I have gained practical knowledge, skills and insight that I can apply to my final semester of studies and take with me into the workplace. The Open Palace Programme was a wonderful experience that I will never forget: exploring the heritage of England, making great new friends and learning from professionals in the industry. 

On finding the Open Palace website, I felt someone had read my mind and turned my heritage dreams into reality – the gorgeous sites, the detailed itinerary with varied activities and the unique opportunity to meet experts of leading organisations left me no choice but to sign up. I sensed it would be the perfect way to add practical experience to my career in heritage and tourism.

The Open Palace Programme proved to be the abovementioned and more: within our international group, members from different heritage institutions and disciplines contributed greatly to discussions and showed new perspectives. Our common enthusiasm for British culture, history and art bound us together. It was a most rewarding experience for all of us to personally meet heritage professionals who appreciated our fascination, evaluated our contributions and even applied them to their own projects. What an absolute chance of a lifetime it was to network with people who are responsible for producing some of Europe’s best exhibitions, curating invaluable collections and taking good care of England’s stunning historic buildings. I soaked it all up like a sponge!

It is hard to choose one favourite part of the entire trip, as it was the sheer diversity of events, people and places that were all highlights in their own right. Among them all, I do, however, have particularly fond memories of visiting the grand houses of Stowe and Woburn, the royal palaces in Kensington and at Hampton Court, and getting a special behind-the-scenes insight into the way they work. Working with the Bath Preservation Trust for several days was just as enjoyable as the hands-on lesson in historic wall plastering at the Regency Town House renovation project in Brighton. No workshop in the world is able to provide the range of what we experienced during these unforgettable 3 weeks.

For me, the Open Palace Programme first and foremost confirmed that the heritage sector is where I belong professionally and it sharpened my focus for those areas I am most enthusiastic about, for instance preventive conservation on historic buildings. It has moreover provided me with a number of new contacts and like-minded friends from the world of conservation, museology and history. I felt the programme enriched my knowledge and broadened my horizons, thereby benefitting me greatly in more ways than one. I really recommend this wonderful tour to anyone wishing to learn more about Britain’s heritage treasures.

I first heard about the Open Palace Programme several years ago through a mentor at a previous job. I was instantly captivated by the Programme’s itinerary, but at the time, did not have a free summer. However, I kept the program in mind, and when I was finally able to go, it did not disappoint!

When you read through the names and job titles of the session leaders, you will be in awe of their accomplishments. (However, most of the professionals we met said they were jealous of US for having this opportunity!) The session leaders gave us insight into their own roles and their paths to achieving their positions. They asked us to help them with problems they themselves were experiencing or to go through an exercise in which we got to try to do what they do every day. They took notes on what we said, really seeming to value our feedback. They did not just lecture at us, they engaged us in mutually-beneficial dialogue.

Your fellow participants on the Programme also offer learning opportunities and fellowship. Not only do they come from different professional and personal backgrounds that you can learn from, but they also share your passion for heritage and museums. It is truly a blessing to have this experience with people who will geek out right alongside you. These are people who understand why you want to read every panel. People who are eager to discuss how the content interpretation methods, visitor flow, digital interactives, collections displays, etc. affected your experience of the sites. People who will eagerly join you on your free Sunday to take a train AND a bus to Blenheim Palace, because you just haven’t yet had your fill of historic homes. You will make lasting friendships with people from across the globe; peers that you can call on personally and professionally for many years to come. The museum/heritage sector is not an easy field to break into, so coming together with people that have already succeeded in the profession, and those who are still struggling to get a foot in the door, is a very comforting and encouraging experience. 

The Programme also offers many things that would be otherwise impossible without a position at one of the institutions we visited. Highlights include: Speaking with Tracy Borman (Chief Curator of the Historic Royal Palaces), seeing Elizabeth I's dress-turned-alter cloth up close and personal while it was being conserved at Hampton Court Palace, imagining a new exhibit for No. 1 Royal Crescent in Bath, and going behind the velvet ropes to stand in the king’s bedchamber during a private tour of Windsor Palace.

As someone who will be entering a Museum Studies Master’s program in the fall, the broad nature of the Programme was perfect. The variety of the experiences you will have (in curation, conservation, education, development, collections, etc.) will either help you decide which path to take within the field, or help you solidify or reevaluate a decision you have already made. As you talk to the professionals and explore different sites, certain features will stand out to you over and over again. You might think: how could that content be interpreted for children? Go into education. That portrait looks dirty and the paint is peeling off the ceiling? Conservation is your area. Why aren’t more people more excited about/donating to this incredible site? Development is for you. When you are in the stimulating and supportive environment created by the Open Palace Programme, your passions will make themselves known.

I intend to pursue museum education, but what I learned about collections, development, curation, and conservation during the Programme will inform my work throughout my career. You cannot have one without the others; they are all interconnected. These lessons will make me a better educator, collaborator, and colleague. I am incredibly grateful that I was given this opportunity.

READ TESTIMONIAL ON WWW.NZMUSEUMS.CO.NZ

When I saw the advert for the Open Palace Programme, I was intrigued and wanted to know more about it. After reading everything on the website I thought this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I am very grateful I was chosen for the Programme and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life. 

Coming from New Zealand, the sheer scale of heritage opportunities is mind boggling. While I had been to England before, coming in with a museum studies trained mind makes you think differently about everything you see. It was fascinating to see, throughout the trip, different levels of heritage preservation/conservation and the impact different budgets have on projects.

Being able to meet heritage professionals who were so passionate about what they are doing, and so willing to share their experiences and knowledge with us was amazing. Being able to undertake activities from all aspects of heritage work was really valuable in understanding how all the different roles combine to work towards a common goal.

The opportunity to meet 23 other like-minded people, all in similar career stages but from a range of perspectives and experiences was invaluable. I really enjoyed the whole Programme, but some definite highlights for me were: seeing the Bath Preservation Trust do so much with relatively little, visiting places I had only read about or seen on TV such as Oxford, Hampton Court Palace, British Museum, Kensington Palace, the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, the list goes on. Also, being able to visit places I hadn’t heard of, such as Stowe, broadened how I looked at heritage sites and how they are managed.

The learning and knowledge I gained throughout the three weeks will continue to influence my career for many years to come. Even if many of the challenges faced in England are totally different to those in New Zealand, being able to bring that perspective back and look at how we do things here from a different angle is only going to increase my skills as a heritage professional.

The variety of roles we encountered also helped my identify in my own mind, where I would like to focus on for my career. I would like to thank everyone involved in making the Programme such a success and would encourage anyone new to the heritage sector to apply and consider making the trip.

Ultimately, what brought me to the Open Palace Programme was the diversity of locations and aspects of the heritage sector that were addressed during each of the seminars. Since graduating three years ago with a Master’s degree in art history, I have been uncertain of what specific direction I wanted to take my career. I knew I wanted to work in the Heritage sector; however, I was unsure of what specific area I wanted to pursue. Like many others, I was drawn to the breadth of opportunities and professionals we met. While the idea of such a broad program may not be for every person, it was exactly what I needed. I needed to get out of my routine, and I needed an opportunity to experience what various museum and heritage professionals did--but needed to do so in a structured setting. I got exactly what I needed.

I found the people at many sites engaging and enthusiastic when working with us. These were people with important jobs with the approachability of a colleague. They wanted us to take part in their jobs. They wanted us to connect with the site on a deeper level. It was a unique experience to be able to consult on projects that they themselves were working on. It was also very refreshing to be able to speak with them about my personal interests that related to what they did or special projects on which they worked.

I could say the same for the other ladies who participated in the Programme with me. It was really a treat to connect with them on both a professional and personal level. Each one of us was able to identify with each other based on the obvious interests we shared, but even our differences became unifying factors. The perspectives we could provide about seminar projects or mundane issues provided one more lens to view what was presented to us and shape how we might come to these problems in the future.

The Open Palace Programme provided me with an experience that, I truly believe, has shaped my future. Apart from providing me with a better sense of where I want to take my career and ideas for projects and problems at the institutions at which I currently work, I also discovered a lot about myself and how I work with others. I am very fortunate to have come away from this with a more profound look on life both professionally and personally.