Advisory
We support museums, galleries, libraries, archives and historic houses with complex collections care decisions involving priorities, risks, resources, responsibilities and organisational change.
Whether reviewing collections care capacity, planning a collections project, preparing for emergencies, managing risks or developing staff capability, we combine practical experience with structured analysis to support informed and sustainable decisions.
Select a service below to learn more about how we can help.
Strategic Collections Care Advisory and Reviews
Independent advice for complex collections care decisions and organisational change
We provide independent assessment and advice where decisions involve uncertainty, competing priorities, limited resources or complex organisational considerations.
Support can include:
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independent collections care reviews;
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collections care capacity and staffing reviews;
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feasibility and options studies;
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strategic planning and prioritisation;
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project reviews;
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emergency preparedness reviews;
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policy and procedure development; and
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facilitated planning and decision-making workshops.
Our role is to help organisations clarify collections care needs and priorities, evaluate realistic options, understand the implications for collections, staff and resources, and make informed decisions about how collections can be cared for sustainably.
Organisational Change Affecting Collections Care
Changes in staffing, budgets, responsibilities or organisational structure can directly affect an organisation’s ability to care for its collections. Capacity and specialist expertise can be lost, workloads and responsibilities can become unclear, and project-funded activity can create ongoing requirements that are difficult to sustain.
We help organisations assess what these changes mean for collections care: what capacity and expertise remain, which risks have increased, what should be prioritised, what can realistically continue, and what needs to change or be deferred.
Support can include:
collections care capacity and staffing reviews
assessment of risks to collections following restructuring
strategic planning and prioritisation under reduced resources
assessment of how changes affect responsibilities, authority, working relationships and staff sustainability
clarification of what can continue, change or be deferred
communication of capacity constraints and their consequences to senior management and
advisory support for Heads of Collections, Conservation or Preservation leading through change.
Independent reviews and advisory support can be provided online internationally, with site visits incorporated where the nature of the work requires them.
Risk Management and Prioritisation
Supporting better decisions about collections risks.
Managing collections risks is about understanding which risks matter most, deciding where resources will have the greatest impact, and identifying practical actions to reduce risk over time.
We support heritage organisations in developing practical, risk-informed approaches that strengthen collections care and support informed decision-making.
Support may include:
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risk management training
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ABC Risk Management methodology
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facilitated prioritisation workshops
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collections risk assessments
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prioritisation to support strategic collections care planning and funding decisions
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identification of policy, procedural, and resource gaps
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review of collections care priorities following significant changes in resources or responsibilities
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Feasibility and options assessment
Our approach focuses not only on identifying risks but also on supporting practical decision-making where competing priorities and limited resources require careful judgement.
Collections Care Projects
Helping organisations plan and deliver complex collections care projects.
Collections projects often involve multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, changing requirements, and decisions that extend well beyond the technical care of collections.
We support organisations throughout the planning and delivery of projects, helping teams coordinate work, manage risks, and make informed decisions as projects evolve.
Support may include:
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project planning
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scope development
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scheduling and sequencing
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project risk management
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collections relocations
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storage development projects
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refurbishment and capital works
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rehousing programmes
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project reviews and troubleshooting
We also assist organisations when projects become difficult to navigate because of changing scope, coordination challenges, competing priorities, or increasing operational complexity.
Emergency Preparedness for Collections
Building capability, not just emergency plans.
Effective emergency preparedness is about more than producing a written plan. It requires practical procedures, clear responsibilities, training, and the confidence to make decisions under pressure.
We help heritage organisations improve emergency preparedness for collections through practical planning, training, and capability development that support effective response and recovery.
Support may include:
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emergency preparedness planning
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review of existing emergency plans
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emergency preparedness assessments
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table-top exercises and emergency simulations
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practical salvage training
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recovery planning
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prioritisation of collections for response and recovery
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integration of collections emergency procedures with wider organisational emergency management and business continuity arrangements
Our work is tailored to the nature of the collections, the risks faced, available resources, and organisational priorities.
Training and Capability Development
Developing judgement, confidence, and practical capability.
We design and deliver training programmes that combine practical knowledge with real-world application.
Training is tailored to each organisation and draws upon practical exercises, case studies, facilitated discussion, and project experience to build capability that participants can apply directly within their workplace.
Topics include:
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decision-making under constraint in collections care
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managing collections care through organisational change
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strategic and risk-based approaches to collections care
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ABC Risk Management methodology
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project management in collections care
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human preparedness and decision-making in heritage emergencies
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emergency preparedness for collections
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practical salvage of collections
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preventive collections care
Training can be delivered online or in person and adapted to suit organisations of different sizes, collection types, and levels of experience.
Contact
If you would like to discuss a project, workshop, review, or advisory support, please get in touch.
Andor Vince