Museums And Archives

Down To Brass Tacks

The Down to Brass Tacks project will transform how Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life cares for and shares its collection. Our holdings include more than 19,500 objects, plus extensive archives and photographs, but gaps in documentation and limited staff capacity mean we cannot fully understand, protect or use them. Through this project, with volunteer support, we will complete a systematic inventory, aligned with Spectrum 5.1 standards, to record the condition, location and significance of every object. This essential foundation will unlock the potential to develop our services, provide a legacy for stronger collections care, better access and engagement, safeguard out collections and provide a sustainable framework for future development. The inventory will underpin research, digitisation, rationalisation, interpretation and accessibility, and give our community greater opportunities to take part in caring for, learning from and sharing the stories within Cumbria’s military heritage.