Research for the long-term storage and curation of archaeological archives.

Tender description

Arts Council England (ACE) and Historic England (HE) are working in partnership to seek a supplier to undertake an investigation and options appraisal on providing for the long-term storage and curation of archaeological archives in England. The overarching aim of this work is to understand how the museum and wider archaeological sector can be best supported to ensure a sustainable model for providing future capacity for archaeological archives. Specifically, this research and options appraisal will explore what capacity already exists, its effectiveness, identify the different potential models for meeting future capacity needs and their relative merits, and provide broad estimates of the level of resourcing that might be required to ensure their sustainability. This work will inform the strategic response to the specific recommendations in the Mendoza Review of Museums that addressed this issue. It will inform thinking about future strategies and potential interventions whether through extending current provisions or introducing new approaches. It is anticipated that this will be undertaken through a review of existing research and evidence, targeted consultation and new research and assessment.