Consultancy Services

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums offers a range of consultancy services. We have the expertise to support you with a wide range of projects. 

Services for cultural venues and community groups

• Project support consultancy 
• Records management consultancy
• Records management
• Retail, merchandising and brand development consultancy 
• Archiving and preservation training
• Conservation training
• Conservation services
• Research services
• Courses

Services for business and commercial business

• Archiving and preservation training
• Records management
• Records management consultancy
• Retail, merchandising and brand development

Services for individuals

• Archiving and preservation training
• Research services
• Courses

All consultancy costs will be calculated based on requirements.

 Project Support

We offer fixed term and ongoing project support. We will work with you to deliver your project from start to finish. We can also offer ongoing support throughout a projects lifetime.

We offer project support in a number of subject areas including, but not limited to, exhibition projects and learning projects.

Grant application support

We offer support with grant applications including, but not limited to, activity plan writing and ongoing application support.

Policy development support

We can offer support with shaping your organisational policies. We can also help you to think creatively about the future of your organisation, including its vision and core mission.

Rethinking collections

TWAM have an extensive collection including fine art, ethnography, archaeology, science, technology, natural sciences, maritime history, Military history, social history and archives. We have the expertise to help you rethink your collections and to use them in new and exciting ways. We can also advise you about practical tasks such as loan procedures and documentation. 

All consultancy costs will be calculated based on requirements.

Advising on looking after important items

Professional staff at Tyne & Wear Archives can provide preservation and storage advice relating to personal documents, heirlooms, photographs and items of historical importance.

We can…

• Work with you to efficiently store and organise family documents and heirlooms on your own premises
• Advise on best practice for storage, display and digitisation
• Supply archival standard packaging

Identifying and preserving collections of historical importance

Tyne & Wear Archives have the expertise to identify and preserve collections of historical importance. Our preservation methods can considerably extend the life of historical items and are more cost effective than repair after deterioration has taken place. Good storage conditions will minimise the risk of pest infestation, mould growth and dust abrasion.

We can …

• Advise on best practice in accordance with latest legislation and guidance
• Work with you to create a personalised storage facility
• Provide expert advice and preservation care from our skilled professional staff
• Provide training as required

All consultancy costs will be calculated based on requirements.

Professional training

The conservation team offer professional training in labelling and marking, object cleaning, art handling and emergency response. Training can be tailored to suit your needs.

Conservation services

Our specialist Conservation team provides advice and guidance to the public and also carries out conservation work for individuals, companies and regional collections. This work usually takes place in our studios.

Download our conservation service brochure (pdf, 3.1MB)

Our conservation services include:

• Conservation of works of art on paper, books and photographs, including mounting and framing services
• Conservation of oil paintings and frames
• Conservation of objects including ceramic, glass, decorative art, archaeology, models and sculpture
• Advice about storage and packing methods and safe transport of items
• Advice about, and treatment of, insect infestation (e.g. moth damage).

The conservation needs of each object are assessed and a treatment proposal drawn up in agreement with the client. The work is priced according to the number of hours required for the agreed level of treatment. Wherever possible the treatment is reversible and takes into account the object’s history, context and future use.

We offer a paid-for research service to members of the public looking to find out more about items in our collections.

Our staff will undertake any specific research relating to the collections held by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, which comprise:

• Archives
• Art
• Science and technology
• Ethnography
• Archaeology
• Military history and social history
• Maritime history
• Natural sciences

The research service costs £30 per hour including VAT.

We will try to provide an accurate estimate of the amount of time needed to undertake your research, but this may not always be possible. You can set an outside limit, however, by telling us that you do not want more than two hours work, for example.

Payment, at least for initial work, is required in advance, and because of high bank charges, we can only accept payment in pounds sterling or by credit or debit card.

You can request and pay for your research online by completing our research form.