Developing a Loans Service

Loan Box Themes

Loan box themes will largely be determined by demand, the type of audience being catered for and the availability of objects. Ideally, this should be considered as part of the marketing strategy. Objects can be obtained from your museum’s collections, be donated or bought in. Using objects that represent your museum’s collections will benefit the service by drawing on associated expertise to support and interpret the loan objects, as well as acting as a means of promotion for your museum.

If schools are being targeted, it is useful to select themes that also represent the National Curriculum. A mapping exercise of the collections, if not already undertaken, will highlight museum themes and objects which represent the National Curriculum. Consider which objects are suitable for which key stages, as younger children will have different needs and abilities than older ones. Teachers can provide advice and feedback if there are any queries regarding suitability. If a theme is popular, ensure there are enough loan boxes to meet demand.

Some themes can be used outside of the formal curriculum, for example: WWII, the seaside or the world of work, which can be used as a basis for reminiscence sessions as well as themes for PSE and citizenship. By including general themes or cross-curricula material the loan boxes will be less affected by National Curriculum change, should it occur.

Other factors that can affect loan box themes will include the size of the objects and the way in which they are packaged. Loan boxes can contain a single object or a collection of objects. Most objects will be fairly robust and easily packaged/handled, but fragile objects and those less readily obtainable may be better suited to display-only purposes.

National Museums Wales