Your support
Whether you love our stuffed animals, glittering rocks, boats, trains and cranes, or are inspired by our old masters, mummies, historic houses or archives, please show you care by making a donation to Bristol Museums Development Trust (registered charity number 1137777).
Your support will help us care for more of the treasures in our collection and give access to academic research to unlock data that can tell us more about the world we live in today.
Simply click the button below to be taken to our secure payment pages. And please don’t forget to Gift Aid your donation so that for every £1 you give we receive 25p extra. Thank you so much!
Our Current Appeal – Japanese Prints
Paper Conservator Harry Metcalf inspects a box of the prints
Bristol has an outstanding collection of approximately 500 Japanese woodblock prints of the mid-18th to early 19th centuries, including works by famous artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige.
Japanese prints are very light sensitive so it isn’t possible to have them on display all the time as the coloured inks can quickly fade. This means we need to ensure that they are kept in suitable storage conditions.
Our paper Conservator, Harry Metcalf explains that “After carrying out a survey of the Japanese wood-block prints, I found that the majority of the sheets are in very good condition. However, the mounts and boxes in which they are stored are certainly showing their age. The mounts are of varying quality, and many of them clip the edges of the print. This not only obscures part of the image but can cause damage over time.
Harry is really looking forward to studying the collection in further detail, “There are beautiful and subtle details in these prints. The surfaces are extremely rich and by examining them closely you can learn a lot about the printer’s technique. They remind you just how skilled these artists and craftsmen were.”
“The remounting process is a perfect opportunity to fully document the condition of the prints on our collection management system. There have been considerable improvements in storage materials since these prints entered the museum collections, meaning we can store these prints in the manner they deserve.”
Could you help make these prints ready for future display?
To conserve the first box of prints, £1,250 is needed. Can you help? All gifts make a difference:
- Your £15 could go towards purchasing archival-quality Heritage Museum mount board.
- Your £25 could help to buy bespoke Solander boxes to store the remounted prints in.
- Your £50 could help pay for an hour of conservation mounting of the prints.
The remounting and rehousing of this wonderful collection means that not only will they be much more safely accessible, but also kept ready for future display. Thank you.
Discover Treasure
Would you like to read about behind the scenes activity undertaken by our curators, conservators, and other specialist staff? Through Treasure, the free twice-yearly newsletter from Bristol Museums Development Trust you will discover how your support could help unlock more of the treasures cared for by Bristol Museums and Archives.
To sign up, please email us. Please include your name and address so that Treasure will reach you safely.
Bristol Museums Development Trust
Set up in 2008 to support M Shed’s development, today this independent charity raises funds for all visitor sites and museums, the collections, learning and many other activities undertaken by Bristol Museums and Archives.
Join the Friends
Both The Friends of Bristol Art Gallery and The Friends of Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives give vital and substantial support for acquisitions, conservation work, exhibitions and refurbishment projects. Each group runs a packed programme of engaging events, talks and trips so whatever your interest there’s bound to be something for you. If you join both groups, your diary will never be empty!
Involve your company
Our corporate membership and sponsorship packages offer your company unique opportunities for corporate hospitality, team building benefits and increasing brand awareness. The variety of our exhibitions and events means our sponsorship packages can suit a variety of marketing, PR and CSR needs at local, national and international levels. And annual corporate membership will give you a host of opportunities to bring clients and staff to prestigious events and on bespoke behind the scenes tours. For a no obligation meeting to discover more about what have to offer, contact Development Manager Katie Lee katie.lee@bristol.gov.uk or call 0117 352 5568.
We’re fortunate to have good company, and wish to thank our current Corporate Supporters:
