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Museums, as products of the European Enlightenment, have been implicated in imperialist and colonialist exploits since their beginnings. Following the international protests sparked by the unjust police killings of Black Americans, institutions must respond better to the needs of black, indigenous, and other people of colour (BIPOC), as well as other marginalized communities. Addressing diversity, equity and inclusion has been promoted as the way to fight historical injustices and systemic racism. 

But, what does this mean for museums? How are museum staff, volunteers, and communities affected? How do museums distance themselves from their histories of perceived neutrality and take responsibility for myth-making? How do museums ensure that BIPOC representation reaches all facets of their organizations including staff, visitors and exhibition content? Is collecting statues of personalities implicated in racist, colonial or imperial histories a threat or an opportunity for museums? Have there been stories of success or failure that can inform museums’ next steps?

We invite submissions of research articles or short reports addressing these issues in the context of conservation and museum collections. To make a contribution, please register at www.jcms-journal.com and follow the instructions for article submission including suggestions for peer reviewers. Please indicate in the cover letter (step 1) that you are submitting in response to this call.

To ensure the collection remains timely, an initial deadline for submissions has been set for September 30th 2020. However, as this is an online collection, we will consider submissions after the deadline (until further notice) that fall within the remit of the special issue. If you require assistance (or to discuss a potential contribution or a late submission), please contact Caitlin R. O’Grady, caitlin.r.ogrady@ucl.ac.uk.

How can we ensure public health while maintaining the traditional functions of the museum? Have current responses to the pandemic changed how we consider/reconsider public engagement and access; implement new measures and measure their success? How can museums remain accessible to those who require tactile exploration to explore exhibitions while limiting disease transmission? How can we conserve and safeguard collections with reduced staffing and social distancing measures? How has/will the pandemic affect staffing and training decisions, particularly in relation to volunteer programmes and internships? What options are available to museums to curate digital exhibitions? How are museums documenting this unique moment in human history for future generations? These and many more questions have become increasingly important as the SARS-COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, closing museums and cultural institutions and forcing many to rethink their physical collections and conservation protocols. In this unprecedented moment in history, the decisions museums and cultural institutions take now will impact the field for many years to come.

With this in mind the Journal of Conservation and Museum Studies solicits the submission of short reports and reflections (1000-1500 words) on how the pandemic has impacted museums, collections care and conservation science. Given their current importance, we aim to publish these contributions as quickly as possible, using a fast-tracked review process.   

To make a contribution, please register at www.jcms-journal.com and follow the instructions for article submission. To ensure the collection remains timely, an initial deadline for submissions has been set for August 21^st 2020. However, as this is an online collection, we will consider submissions after the deadline (until further notice) that fall within the remit of the collection. If you require assistance (or to discuss a potential contribution or a late submission), please contact Caitlin O’Grady, caitlin.r.ogrady@ucl.ac.uk