Preface

The questions addressed by this report are these: Why is learning within the historic environment valuable? What is currently being achieved? What more could be achieved? And how?

Within the term ‘learning’ this report includes the following activities:

• Formal learning, or education as taught in schools, colleges and universities.
• Informal learning, as experienced by all of those throughout our lives and requiring a range of approaches to suit varying needs.
• The interpretation of historic sites in broad terms, to include presentation, Information and Communications Technology, publications, volunteering.

By ‘historic environment’ we understand the following:

• Archaeological sites
• Places of worship
• Country houses and their gardens and parks
• Industrial archaeology
• Historic cities, towns and villages
• Museums housed in historic buildings
• Landscapes and gardens, particularly when closely related to settlements.

The report does not apply a strict cut-off date. The emphasis, however, is on historic buildings and sites.

The general approach taken in A Common Wealth and many of the research methods, notably the organisation of colloquia, have provided models for the present report. David Anderson has provided extremely helpful guidance throughout.

The Anderson Report asserts the role of learning within museums as a key aim, rather than an optional extra as it used to be considered. It points out the very limited educational provision in museums, many of which have no dedicated education staff. It addresses social inclusion and the need for museums to reach out to new audiences, and acts as an advocate for the essential role of learning within museums.

As a result of the success of A Common Wealth, these messages have become widely diffused and have stimulated a range of related reports. While the present report does not seek to reiterate all these ideas, it should be understood that they underlie this new document.

This has been a collaborative venture. Alan Kirwan, as Project Co-ordinator, organised the research programme from the beginning of the project until his appointment to a position elsewhere in May 2003, and has remained a key figure to the date of publication. Jeannie Hobhouse played an indispensable part in providing ideas and in organisation, and made numerous site visits all over England and Scotland. Diane Hurst provided several case studies and prepared the bibliography. Christopher Catling, Judy Ling Wong and Ian Coulson have provided illuminating guidance and contributed important sections of the text. Karen Brookfield, Charlie Gere, Sharon Goddard, Don Henson, Tricia Hill, Lorna Melody, Chana Moses, Bryan Paveley,Ann Todd, Janet Ratcliffe, Tim Schadla Hall, Peter Stott, Annabel Westman and Gillian Wolfe have all made extremely valuable contributions.

The report is edited by Giles Waterfield. He has written those parts of the text which are not otherwise signed.

While the views expressed in this report have been discussed with numerous people and notably the Advisory Council, they remain the personal opinion of the individual writers and the general editor.

Giles Waterfield, April 2004