York Museums Trust

Annual Report 2009 - 10

Foreword by Chair

It is with great pleasure that we report on the success of York Museum Trust over 2009-10. This will be the eighth year that the York Museums Trust has been working towards improving aspects of the museums service we offer to our visitors. Since York Museums Trust was started in 2002, we have been working steadily to realise our vision which is to play a major part in positioning York as a world class cultural centre. We manage a significant part of the cultural infrastructure in the city with York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, York Art Gallery and York St Mary's all in our care. We also have our extensive and rich museum collections to care for and make accessible through our public programmes through which we aim to reach a wide and diverse audience. Our mission is to cherish the collections, buildings and gardens entrusted to us, presenting and interpreting them as a stimulus for learning, a provocation to curiosity and a source of inspiration and enjoyment for all.

This annual report details what we have achieved during 2009-10 and are guided by our Strategic Objectives which are as follows:

• To protect and conserve the collections, gardens and buildings
• To promote access to the collections, gardens and buildings appropriate to the 21 st Century
• To create learning opportunities for all and develop innovative programmes springing from the collections, gardens and buildings
• To network and collaborate with partners and contribute to the development of the economic and cultural life of the city and the region
• To raise substantial funds to realise these aims

I would like to thank my fellow trustees who have supported the Chief Executive and the senior team through their advice and guidance as well as congratulating all colleagues who have worked hard to give our visitors an enjoyable and at times an inspiring experience. We have continued to increase visitor numbers year on year despite the difficult economic climate and we have continued to invest and plan ambitious projects for the future.

The most significant project this year has been the Letting in the Light project at the Yorkshire Museum which is a complete redisplay of the archaeology and science collections, and entailed the closure of the Yorkshire Museum from November 2009 until August 2010. Fundraising for this £2 million project was successful largely through trusts and foundations but we also enlisted the help of the volunteer led Development Group who organised a prestigious Yorkshire Dinner which was held at the Hospitium in May 2010. Visitor numbers and reactions to the museum since re-opening have been extremely encouraging.

I would also like to thank the Enterprises Board, again volunteers from the business community, who help us develop our retail, catering and venue hire businesses that adds to our financial sustainability. We can only do our work because of the financial support we receive from the City of York Council, for which we are grateful and we seek to work collaboratively with them in support of their own ambitions for the city. All of our success is due to the enthusiasm and expertise of our staff and volunteers, and I would like to thank all of them for their contribution to the work of the trust.

Denise Jagger
Chairman of York Museums Trust

Mission and Strategic Objectives

York Museums Trust's mission is to cherish the collections, buildings and gardens entrusted to us, presenting and interpreting them as a stimulus for learning, a provocation to curiosity and a source of inspiration and enjoyment for all. Our Vision is for York Museums Trust to play a major part in positioning York as a world class cultural centre.

This annual report details what we have achieved during 2010-11 in pursuit of our Strategic Objectives which are as follows:

• To protect and conserve the collections, gardens and buildings
• To promote access to the collections, gardens and buildings appropriate to the 21 st Century
• To create learning opportunities for all and develop innovative programmes springing from the collections, gardens and buildings
• To network and collaborate with partners and contribute to the development of the economic and cultural life of the city and the region
• To raise substantial funds to realise these aims