Collections Report March 2026
What it recommends
- “To accept this report and recommend approval by Cabinet.”
What the meeting decided
We couldn’t match this item in the minutes; they record what was decided.
In plain English
Recommended · This went to the meeting on Mon 16 Mar 2026. What was decided is in that meeting's minutes.
The report updates the Museum Committee on collections care, access, acquisitions, loans and objects being considered for disposal. p2
The report recommends that the committee accept the report and recommend approval by Cabinet. p3
Insect pests getting into the Upper Durbar Hall are described as a significant issue for high-value items, with regular checking, cleaning and treatments as ongoing measures. p8
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust has requested to borrow a Turner watercolour, 'Hastings; Fishmarket on the Sands, Early Morning', for an exhibition scheduled to run from 10 September to 29 November 2026. p17
The curatorial team has advised that several objects, including Horse Bells, be removed from the collection in line with the Collections Development Policy. p22p23
Show the 6 passages this is based on
- p2Classification: Open Purpose of Report To update the committee on collections care, access, acquisitions, loans and objects being considered for disposal.
- p3Recommendation(s) 1. To accept this report and recommend approval by Cabinet.
- p8Insect pests getting into the Upper Durbar continues to be a significant issue with high value (both culturally and insurance wise) items at risk. This will only increase as the mild weather increases with climate change and the materials surrounding continue to deteriorate. Regular checking, cleaning and treatments are merely firefighting. A big project to properly seal the displays and make the necessary repairs to the outer structures cannot happen soon enough.
- p17Loan Requests We have had a request from Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust to borrow HASMG:2006.17 Watercolour of 'Hastings; Fishmarket on the Sands, Early Morning' by JMW Turner, 1824 for exhibition ‘In Turner’s Wake: Contemporary Visions by Jake Wood-Evans’ and is scheduled to run from 10 September to 29 November 2026.
- p226. Disposals In line with our Collections Development Policy, contained within the Collections Management Framework, the curatorial team have advised the following objects be removed from the collection:
- p23Report Template v30.0 Disposal Number Description Notes D2024.5 Horse Bells The trustees of the WTT have asked if we would be able to let them know where the item ends up if possible please, just for their records.