Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

The National Museum of Wales (operating as Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales, ACNMW) is a multidisciplinary museum with sites across Wales, which holds over 5 million objects and specimens, of which 2.2 million, relevant to this AHRC Capability for Collections Fund (CapCo) call, held in the archaeology, art, history (social and Industrial) collections. We have a proven track record of enhancing collections through conservation and research activity and ACNMW is the premier center for collection-based conservation and research in Wales. As such our resources are an important Welsh National facility, supporting not only ACNMW, but also organizations across Wales. This is particularly pertinent within Wales where few such resources are available. Enhancement of our equipment will not only support our own collections, through training students and up-skilling volunteers, but also support collections across Wales, and the analytical support we provide to the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Wales, and reporting under the Treasure Act (1996). Sustained cuts to our grant-in-aid has impacted on our ability to update key items of equipment, to support research and conservation. While we have been able to replace smaller items of equipment (e.g. up to £10,000), reductions in capital funding have impeded replacement of more expensive items many of which are now around 30 years old, and further items, which are 10-20 years-old, and are heading toward obsolescence. Outdated equipment undermines our strategic aims to increase access to collections to a wider audience through exhibition and outreach (with emphasis on co-curation), research (in particular through collaborative research with diverse partners), and physical and digital access for both researchers and a wider range of users. Facilities we have been able to upgrade or develop (e.g. Gweithdy collections study spaces, St Fagan, National Museum of History and specialist natural science collection DNA and imaging facilities) have been funded by external support, such as the Clore Duffield foundation and Heritage Fund, or by specialist expertise and equipment-supported contract research income generation. Under the new Directorship of Dr Katherine Davies, the Collections & Research Division is reviewing its research capability and working to better match resources (staff expertise, equipment and funding streams) for greater impact and more focused outcomes to deliver the Vision and supporting strategies. A formal review of research project has been completed and a Research Manager is in the process of being appointed. Enhancement of our research and conservation capability would be further enhanced by funding from this call to renew parts of our equipment base. We request equipment in four operational areas, Art Conservation Studio, Digitisation Studio (2-D imaging), Imaging Laboratory (imaging of 3-D objects, including 3-D scanning), and the Materials Laboratory. The later is dominantly concerned with processing archaeological objects and materials, but also supports the social and industrial history collections. We are requesting a total of £895,699 to support 4 major pieces of equipment, a suite of microscopes and 8 other pieces of medium scale equipment. We will develop new income generating plans to support maintenance of this equipment and contribute to future succession plans.

The aims of this application link directly to delivering public engagement events in Cardiff to coincide with, and promote, the transit of Mercury on 9th May 2016. 1. To build on the success of the Cardiff 2015 solar eclipse events to promote astronomy and astrophysics to public audiences in the Cardiff area. 2. To mark the transit of Mercury by providing viewing opportunities and promote recent research on Mercury to an audience with a wide range of science knowledge and range in age range. The transit of Mercury comes shortly after the ending of the MESSANGER mission and provides an idea vehicle to promote research findings to local audiences in South Wales. The partnership between Cardiff University and Amgeuddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales (AC-NMW) allows us to combine the expertise of active researchers with a track record of public engagement with the experience of engaging both known, and new, audience through inclusive community engagement and participation. 3. To use the transit of Mercury to attract and engage a non-science audience through a cross-over art and science event. In an educational system that frequently results in students at 16+ having a curriculum polarised between art and science, we aim to provide a bridge between these extremes. This facilitates non-scientist to appreciate the magnitude and beauty of planetary exploration rather than being alienated by the complexity of the science. 4. To proactively include socially deprived groups within events to expand the reach of the enagement.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

This project uses equipment obtained through the CapCo grant Phase One to generate 3-D-images of biocultural specimens from the Indian sub-continent, to share with our community partners in innovative ways, to facilitate discussion and encourage interaction between local community groups of Indian heritage and Museum Curators. Interpretation of the biocultural collection at Amgueddfa Cymru is restricted to Eurocentric, scientific descriptions which exclude people who do not feel represented by this approach. This narrow interpretation creates barriers to engagement with diverse communities who place greater value on interpretations drawn from the culture and language of a specimen's country of origin. Specimens currently lack an understanding of cultural context and significance to the communities or the diaspora, from where they are derived, so users are deprived of a wider understanding of the collection and ethnic groups are deprived of a voice through co-curation. Engagement is limited to those who can visit the Museum or material we can take to them (thus precluding large or delicate items). The project aims to: a) engage community groups of Indian heritage with relevant biocultural specimens; b) encourage dialogue and knowledge-exchange about the Indian flora; c) co-create new interpretations for Indian specimens, drawing on people's lived-experience and cultural understanding of the specimens' country of origin; d) create new permanent records for specimens to include the new, co-created content. We will achieve this by: e) using the 2-D imaging (and collection visits, Covid-19 permitting) to allow the community group to select priority specimens of interest or significance to them for 3-D scanning and interpretation; f) undertaking 3-D scanning of specimens to share with community groups, in person and online, to facilitate re-curation/co-curation and to solicit further comments and interpretations from wider audiences; g) working with community leaders to run workshops and collection visits, to draw out untold stories of the specimens and address concerns about their colonial past; h) producing blogs with new embedded 3D specimen images, co-created by participants and curators, explaining the significance of selected plants in traditional Indian rituals and ceremonies and/or describing their medicinal applications; i) creating short films about specific plants; films and blogs will be available on-line, to promulgate collection details internationally; j) on-line information and workshop outputs will be used to inspire original responses from creative-writing course participants; k) encouraging deeper discussion and recording of specimen's cultural context and sharing specimen details with communities in the original source countries; l) promoting intergenerational understanding of Indian traditions and supporting cultural identity; m) employing a digital assistant to support scanning work and ensure that relevant records are updated and widely accessible; derived data on cultural context will complement the scientific data, providing a more comprehensive representation of specimens. The project will culminate in a digital and on-site open-day, where curators and community will present their work. This project will increase the relevance of our collections to audiences who may historically have faced barriers to engaging with natural history collections in British museums. This work forms part of a wider decolonisation programme which aims to ensure that everyone in Wales feels represented by Amgueddfa Cymru.