OpenArch WP2 seminar on museum management
July 2014 (Jamtli, Sweden)
BACKGROUND
From the 1-3 July a group of managers and curators from Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales visited Jamtli (in Östersund, Sweden) to discuss the management approaches at our two organisations and to assess the impact that this had on the visitor experience on the site.
This work fulfilled the OpenArch WP2 commitment to hold a seminar on museum management in 2014. The OpenArch project funded the travel costs of two of the five participants.
This visit was selected as an extension of work begun at the 2012 OpenArch conference in Foteviken, at which the Director of Jamtli, and the Head of Historic Properties, St Fagans, both spoke. Jamtli was clearly an organisation that had a very clear management vision which was being implemented very successfully. It therefore made good sense for an OpenArch partner to visit and feed back to the rest of the OpenArch partnership on this subject.
Document contents
This document summaries the main points of discussion during the three day seminar focusing in particular on the lessons that can be drawn by archaeological open-air museums from the Jamtli experience.
Finally there are appendices detailing the staff who attended the seminar and the contents of the programme itself.
JAMTLI
Jamtli is a situated in central Sweden, and consists of an open-air site, galleries, a learning centre and support facilities. It is funded from a variety of government sources, revenue-raising services, grants and an entrance fee. Its main organisational goals are: to be a regional museum, to be a hub for other local museums, to be a research and development organisation, and to be a National Museum of Northern Sweden.
Jamtli represents a region which is over twice the size of Wales and yet has a “local” population of just 126,000 people. They receive around 200,000 visitors a year, with 50% of those taking part in the Historyland season which runs through the summer months (June to August).
IMPLICATIONS FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL OPEN-AIR MUSEUMS
Vision:Jamtli's management team have developed a tight vision for their organisation which is clearly thought out and easily articulated. Their management structure is arranged to deliver that vision and its impact is evident in the nature of what is offered on the site. This vision places the visitor at the centre of Jamtli, in contrast to many archaeological open-air museums which prioritise their collections (reconstructed buildings or objects), or their academic expertise. The advantages of their approach from a management perspectice are evident in their healthy visitor numbers and the high number of repeat visits.
Cultural position:Jamtli has also rejected the narrow definitions that limit organisations to operating within a single cultural arena, whether it be museums, galleries, theme parks, or leisure centres. Instead they adopt elements from alll these areas so long as they fit within their overarching vision and enhance the visitor experience. Again, there is a lesson here for the managers of many archaeological open-air museums.
The role of authenticity: If the visitor experience is most important to the open-air experience at Jamtli, authenticity in the sense it has assumed in the open-air museum world is less obviously celebrated, for reasons explained below. The quality of what is presented is always exemplary, and over the course of the visit it became apparent that it is all founded on in-depth research, but this is not seen as the main USP for the organisation. Such a position is very different from the one which has been adopted in open-air museums and, perhaps provides an insight into the consequences for other organisations which choose to place the visitor experience central to the organisational vision. Jamtli's Historyland / living history focus relies on the audience accepting that they have entered the past; open discussions of authenticity and of the real versus the replica, serve to distract from this ambition.
Pricing structures: Perhaps Jamtli's most practical lesson for other open-air museums is that visitors will pay high prices for a quality experience. At present visitors to Jamtli pay theme park prices (- 30%) for a visit of around three hours, but they are paying for theme park standards in terms of site appearance, infrastructure, staff interaction and activities. Such a finding suggests that archaeological open-air museums could be braver in their pricing structures if they can find sufficient investment in their facilities to ensure a demonstrable return for the visitor.
Staff training: The experience at Jamtli also makes clear the importance of staff training as a key element in the visitor experience. Jamtli's front-of-house staff receive 48 hours of training at the start of their Historyland season. The effect is evident from the moment the visitor is greeted, through the depth of their knowledge about the history they are representing, and the character that they are adopting. Their costume is of a high quality and they have a clear, but not restrictive, script to give structure to their day. In essence, it is the staff that make the experience.
Social inclusion: One final area which is worthy of note is the very important role that social inclusion has at Jamtli. As well as being a centre for archaeological and historical research, they perform an important role in working with disadvantaged groups and in raising awareness of wider social agendas. For example, the status of the eldery in Sweden is explored in their 1975 zone, and the status of modern refugees is explored across the site. Such an approach shifts the museum from being a peripheral “cultural” concern to an important “social” force in their region, allowing theme to deepen their impact on visitors and giving them access to alternative funding streams. This is a very important lesson for archaeological open-air museums which can, at times, underestimate the impact they can have on wider society. Organisations which learn from Jamtli in this area will have a much easier job explaining their worth to local politicians and funding agencies.
Conclusion: In summary, archaeological open-air museums can learn a lot from Jamtli's successful management model. Many of the lessons are points of detail, but the single most important one is the need for a clear vision for the organisation, and the embedding of that vision at every level of the structure.
APPENDIX
Summary of programme
Day 0: Arrive
Day 1
Presentation: Introduction to Jamtli, Henrik Zipsane
Presentation: Jamtli Historyland and how it all started, Torgärd Notelid
Guided tour: 1 hour guided tour in English
Guided tour: Introduction to “modern time: 1975”
Self-led tour of the site
Day 2
Presentation: Jamtli, future plans, Henrik Zipsane
Guided tour: The indoor exhibitions, Torgärd Notelid
Guided tour: Jamtli's special focus on children, Magnus Stafverfeldt
Presentation: Social inclusion at Jamtli, Torgärd Notelid
Day 3
Presentation: The Nordic Centre of Heritage, Learning and Creativity. Anna Hansen
Presentation: Jamtli and events, Torgärd Notelid
APPENDIX
Attendees
Delegates from St Fagans
Steve Burrow, Head of Historic Properties (OpenArch funded)
Mared McAleavey, Principal Curator: Historic Interiors (OpenArch funded)
Janice Lane, Director of Learning, Participation and Engagement
Nia Williams, Head of Learning, Participation and Engagement
Bethan Lewis, Head of Site, St Fagans National History Museum.
Contributors from the host organisation, Jamtli
Henrik Zipsane, Director
Torgärd Notelid, Head of the Department of Exhibitions, Learning and Public Service
Magnus Stafverfeldt, Team Leader for Exhibitions
Ann-Lena Ståhl, Head of the Nordic Centre of Heritage, Learning and Creativity