Issue 22 Editorial

In my first editorial for this journal, I wrote about the Science Museum Group’s deep commitment to scholarship. What I really meant at the time was that after years of drift, it seemed to me essential that we re-engage with the joy of fine scholarship; a delight in itself and of immense value to our public. Therefore, I am proud to be able to look back now on ten years of varied, provocative and inspiring articles, and to look ahead to a new age of engagement with our extraordinary collections, research and expertise.    

This journal is special because it has revealed so much about the hidden craft of museum work, and brought the deep care, knowledge, creativity and passion of my colleagues to the fore. Crucially, it has put our work into a global context, and encouraged generous, multidisciplinary conversations at times when we have been so exposed to division and polarisation. Our numbers are impressive – we’ve published nearly 250 articles and have 42,000 annual readers. But success for me is measured in other ways too: the number of brilliant scholars who have eagerly brought their great ideas to us (not waiting to be asked first), the growing confidence we’ve seen in early career writers, and the opportunities we’ve taken to experiment with film and audio. Our simple, stylish design and extensive use of images and photography have really celebrated the beauty of science collections. It’s true to say that this journal sits comfortably alongside those from the art world.  

In my first editorial, I remarked on the need to take advantage of the digital age. And what a decade it has been for change. The format and functionality of this journal have evolved to keep up, and articles in this anniversary edition consider further future developments, including in open access publishing. Though as the ways and means of sharing scholarship change, we remain, above all, committed to revealing our collection and its world-changing impact. Between these virtual pages are a sensitive exploration of a little-known colonial-era carriage from the National Railway Museum, and a whole new take on the famous Cottingley Faires scandal, thanks to objects at the National Media Museum. Where else could you find such wonderfully contrasting stories?