The Art Fund have supported both Colchester and Ipswich through funding, gifts and advice. For example, a grant from the organisation enabled the purchase of Constable’s The Lime Kiln.

Over the year The Friends of Colchester Museums have enabled the service to purchase several important objects, including an Anglo-Saxon gold-and-garnet finger ring and a medieval inscribed silver brooch.

Funding from The Friends of the Ipswich Museums has supported the purchase and conservation of pieces ranging from a Viking pendant to the Mason family portrait by John Constable.

The V&A Purchase Grant Fund supports organisations to develop their permanent collections. It has enabled us to acquire a range of objects, including The Mountnessing Pendant in 2009.

Our conservators are responsible for the important task of caring for the diverse collection, which includes archaeological artefacts, social history objects, natural science specimens, and fine art – to name but a few. Colchester + Ipswich Museums have two well-equipped conservation labs, one based in Ipswich Museum and another in the Museum Resource Centre in Colchester.

We care for our collections in a variety of ways. Firstly, we try to prevent damage from occurring in the first place through preventative conservation measures. We aim to store and display objects in a way that slows down and minimises deterioration by controlling environmental factors such as light, temperature and humidity, as well as by controlling pests that can eat museums objects. Conservation staff monitor conditions in the stores and galleries and devise improvements to the museum environment. We also test new materials used in displays and stores to ensure that these are not harmful to objects. When objects are stored and displayed correctly, they are less likely to require remedial treatment.

When an object in the collections is in poor condition, we treat it by cleaning, repairing and stabilising it, enabling visitors to better understand and enjoy it. Before undertaking any treatment, we consider what materials an object is made of, how it was made, its condition, its intended use, and the causes of deterioration. We then decide what kind of treatment is most suitable.

Other aspects of a Conservator’s role include photography, documentation, and scientific analysis of objects. We also work together with colleagues in planning exhibitions and loans so that the preservation of objects is considered at every step of these processes.

Conservation is not only important for the long-term preservation of our objects, it also facilitates the display, research and interpretation of the collection. Our goal is to preserve the collection for future generations and enable it to be used for research and displayed to the public.

In addition to work on our own collections, the Conservation Service also undertakes work for excavation units and for other museums.

Clients have included Colchester Archaeological Trust, Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit, and Braintree Museum.

The service also offers support, advice and training in collections care to smaller museums in the region. For more information, please contact us.

Recording most finds is voluntary. However, there is a legal obligation to report objects covered by The Treasure Act (1996). You must report all finds of Treasure within 14 days after the day on which you made the discovery or within 14 days after the day on which you realised the find might be treasure. For more information on what is considered Treasure, click here.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme is a voluntary scheme to record archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales. Every year thousands of objects are discovered by members of the public. Most of these are found by metal-detectors, but also by people out walking, gardening, or going about their daily work.

Recording such discoveries offers an important source for understanding our past. Members of the public who find archaeological objects in England and Wales are encouraged to record them on a national database. Thousands of archaeological objects are uncovered each year and those finds that are recorded with the scheme help advance our shared knowledge of history.

The local Finds Liaison Officer for Essex is based in Colchester. For full contact information, click here.

The local Finds Liaison Officer for Suffolk is based in Bury St Edmunds. For full contact information, click here.

The Finds Liaison Officers (FLO) are responsible for recording finds made by members of the public across the county. They also support interest groups by offering advice and documenting and recording objects handed in.

The local FLO for Essex is based in Colchester. For full contact information, click here.

The local FLO for Suffolk is based in Bury St Edmunds. For full contact information, click here.

We run various outreach projects, working with community groups and young people and offering reminiscence sessions for older people. For more information, please contact the Team.

Memory Boxes are a great way to interact with a family member, social group, or someone in a care home. These boxes contain a mixture of objects relating to each topic and will soon get the conversation flowing. We have different boxes available to hire. Some boxes on offer are from specific decades, such as the 1930s/40s and 1950s/60s. There are also thematic boxes, such as Childhood and Holidays.

For full information on our Colchester Memory Boxes, click here.

For full information on our Ipswich Memory Boxes, click here.

Collections continue to be enriched through donation, purchase, and field collections. All material is acquired in accordance with the museum service’s Collecting Policies. These are reviewed on a regular basis. If you would like to donate, please get in touch with us to speak to one of our curators.

We are extremely grateful for donations of any size, as every penny enables our team to share more of the collections and engage even wider audiences. Donation boxes can be found at each of our museums, or you can donate online via the Colchester Museums Development Foundation or the Friends of the Ipswich Museums.

The money raised through admission charges at some of our museums enables us to offer free entry at others. It also supports the wider work we do, from running education programmes to conserving each town’s unique heritage.

The Colchester Museums Development Foundation supports Colchester Museums to inspire and enrich our local community, through the preservation, exploration, and sharing of the city’s heritage. There are many ways you can support the foundation, including making a donation, becoming a member, adopting an object or, leaving a gift in your will.

We are proud to have an incredible team at Colchester + Ipswich Museums. Their expertise spans a range of fields from exhibition design to collections documentation, curation and learning to administration. Our Visitor Services team bring the venues to life, while our conservators restore and protect the collections for future generations.

There are currently no vacancies available. Follow us on social media to find out first about new opportunities.

As employees of Colchester City Council, museum staff enjoy a range of benefits, from flexible working to travel discounts, generous annual leave to professional development opportunities. Find out more on the Colchester City Council website.

As a museum service, we are uniquely placed to set a strong example and help raise awareness of environmental issues among others. For our full policy, please click here.

We want our museums to enrich the lives of all who visit, feeding aspirations and imaginations. In meeting this aim, our team is guided by the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty. For our full policy, please click here.

This policy outlines what you need to know. For our full policy, please click here.

This policy provides a framework for internal and external collections and information-based research. For our full policy, please click here.