I disappeared from this place completely (I haven’t even been lurking so I have no idea what’s going on) but I have returned to say I got notified today that we passed ✨

Sandwich GuildHall Museum

@sandwichmuseum.bsky.social is recruiting volunteers. Join our project 'Let's do the time walk again! Exploring the East Kent Coast Through Digital Heritage' (National Lottery Heritage Fund). Researching / recording archives, digital upskilling, storytelling. Free training and networking events.

I did offer to make a spreadsheet to help plan it and they were not interested!

Screenshot from WhatsApp. The sent messages show the emoji of the woman facepalming and then a message reading “I will do whatever just tell me what days to book off!”

Trying to organise a holiday in the family group chat. As you can imagine, it’s going really well.

Working at a large museum:
Hi I'm the assistant learning interpretation curator for pre-19th century oil paintings.

Working at a small museum:
Hi I'm the social media manager and the curator, and the conservator, and the events coordinator, and the exhibition designer, and the director, and...

Anything but the bear jugs please

Google search reading “weird bear jug museum collection” with the lower part of two image results showing. The images both show the base of different bear jugs.

Ready to become the expert if need be

There must be an expert on these bear jugs somewhere - I need to know what’s going on with them!

When I come across it I’ll send you a photo!

I don’t know if it’s quite the same as these but we have a bear jug in our collection as well!

The interior of an empty dolls house. The top room has a slanted roof that’s painted pink with white swirls and then end wall has a geometric purple, blue and gold design. The floor is purple and glittery. The two rooms below are smaller, the left one has white floor with sequins and the wall looks tiled in blue and white triangles. The other room has blue glittery floor, with a crazy paving style wall that’s also blue.

I’m a strong believer in having a colourful home! This is a dolls house I’ve been working on for my niece’s Christmas present 💫

Every year the last email I send is a version of “thank you for all your hard work” to the volunteers and it’s probably my favourite email to write.

Yes please 😢 I’m going to need it!

Photo of a Word Document reading “25th - Christmas post, something in between, 1st New Year” which are my incredibly unhelpful social media plans for the Christmas break.

Thanks Millie of the past, this is really helpful. Really couldn’t have managed social media stuff without this.

So glad to be in this with you Fishbourne!

I did! And then I forgot until I saw it in my inbox this morning.

Image of an email subject line reading “Re: Accreditation Return Due 1st July 2025 - don’t panic!”

Just the Museums Development team being the best by giving me a heads up (I did panic)

Little did she know..

Yes, that sounds like a good plan!

I assume multiple places got notified along with Fishbourne but I’m not working today so I can’t check 😫

This makes me scared for when it’s our turn. I know it’s looming 😭

Thank you! I appreciate that.

I’d like to hear more about your project at some point, I really like learning new things from people in the sector!

No don’t say sorry! Thank you for reminding me.

A photo and a “Merry Christmas” is all I will be able to manage so it will have to suffice. I’m sure what you’ve done will be great and hopefully the effort will be worth it!

You’ve reminded me that I need to sort out social media stuff for Christmas as well! Completely forgot to add that to my list.

Good plan, hibernate until summer!

My day was pretty good, I went out this afternoon instead of deciding I was too cold and it was actually quite nice to walk around town! I assume you’ve been at work?

The museum world better get ready! We’re coming for it, but only when it’s warm outside again.

Always know where your favourite knife is otherwise you might have to use a different knife to chop an onion and you might end up cutting your finger as well as the onion. Just some advice that may or may not be based on my evening 🧅

That’s a good strategy! But yes same, I have found recently that on a day off I will sit down to have lunch thinking I will get up and do something else afterwards, but I get cold so I get a blanket and then that’s it for the day. A cocoon until March sounds wonderful!

This is less about sleep (I am tired though) and more about how bizarre I still find it that I get to manage a museum

Fingers crossed it is!

I know how that feels but I don’t exactly know how to get through it apart from waiting until I feel better or trying to focus on the things that I find more interesting first. At least you have something for next week, maybe a week at a time is best!