National Designation for UK Plastics Museum
Professor Susan Lambert, Chief Curator at the Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP) examines Designated Collection items at Arts University Bournemouth.
Arts University Bournemouth’s Museum of Design in Plastics has been recognised as a collection of national importance by Arts Council England
A collection held by The Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP) at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) in Dorset, has been officially awarded Designated status by Arts Council England, recognising the museum’s exhibits as a ‘collection of national importance’.
MoDiP’s collection is the world’s most comprehensive survey into how plastics have transformed the designed world. The collection uniquely charts the development of design in plastics from natural plastics to 3D printed objects.
Encompassing an extensive range of items of historical, cultural and social significance, the collection includes sporting objects like an early billiard ball formed in imitation of ivory and era-defining toys like Hasbro’s iconic Mr Potato Head, to items crucial to improving the human condition, like prosthetic limbs, which remain essential to the mobility of millions today.
The Arts Council Designation award recognises MoDiP’s collection, based in Poole, Dorset, alongside internationally recognised collections like Kensington Royal Palace’s Royal ceremonial dress collection and the Ritual Judaica collection, held by London’s Jewish Museum.
The MoDiP collection includes the work of many leading designers including Zaha Hadid, Kenneth Grange, Dieter Rams, Ettore Sottsass and Philippe Starke, as well as essential everyday objects that design in plastics has made possible, such as an array of plugs and switches.
Professor Susan Lambert, Chief Curator of the Museum, said: “There is no other collection in the world which researches and engages with the impact of design in plastics on society so effectively and extensively, and we’re proud to rank among some of the most esteemed museums in the world, being recognised beside historic and significant collections like those of The Pitt-Rivers Museum, The Wellcome Trust, and the Museum of London.”
The museum, which was established in 2007 at AUB’s Wallisdown campus, has also taken on a role as convenor of discussions around both the positive and negative impacts of plastics. Professor Lambert explains: “In recent years, discourse around plastics in the designed world has been divisive, being somewhat polarised by issues around overuse and sustainability.
“We often see plastics depicted as objects that leave an indelible and damaging impact on the natural world, and while that’s certainly something we need to address as a global community, the current pandemic will see more than 8 billion plastic vaccination syringes used across the world to counter the threat of COVID-19.
“Over the course of the pandemic and beyond, plastics have been crucial to saving lives and ensuring the safety of populations across the world. Their sustainable and responsible disposal and innovative use is, however, something that we must consider and encourage for future generations.”
Dr Nick Merriman, Chair of Arts Council England’s Designation panel, said: “The Designation Scheme plays a critical role in raising the profile of nationally and internationally significant collections throughout England. We hope this spotlight safeguards them for the enjoyment and enrichment of many generations to come.
“I’m delighted that the scheme is recognising the outstanding collection at the Museum of Design in Plastics, which demonstrates the fundamental importance and impact of plastics in our world.”
Professor Paul Gough, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “This is a terrific accolade for the museum. AUB has an international reputation as an innovative arts university which values the contribution of design to society and industry.
“Our new Strategy embraces the value of the arts and design and their impact on all our lives. Our staff and students gain significantly from the collection as do a wide range of external stakeholders who will greet this latest achievement with deep satisfaction.”
Arts Council England’s Designation scheme identifies the pre-eminent collections of national importance held in England’s non-national museums, libraries and archives, based on their quality and significance.
Read more about MODIP at: modip.ac.uk.
Based at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), the Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP) was awarded registered museum status by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council in 2001.
The organisation is the UK's only fully accredited plastics museum, and is now acknowledged as the UK's leading resource for the study and interpretation of design in plastics.
MoDiP has featured in national media, including The Guardian and Financial Times, and is at the forefront of era-defining debates examining the future and legacy of plastics, including the material's impact on arts, environment, culture and in pioneering healthcare innovation.
The museum actively leads in developing academic and cultural conversations with key organisations and stakeholders across a range of sectors.
For all media enquiries, contact newsdesk@aub.ac.uk.
Arts University Bournemouth was first established in 1885 as a specialist art institution and is a leading University offering high quality specialist education in art, design, media, and performance across the creative industries.
Arts University Bournemouth is a top 100 UK university according to The Complete University Guide 2022, ranking 4th nationally for student satisfaction, and is currently the UK's number one specialist university for employability, according to The Times Higher Education's Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Metrics ranking. *
93.5% of Arts University Bournemouth graduates are in work or further study after completion of their studies at undergraduate level. **
* The 2017 TEF Metrics ranking compiled by Times Higher Education.
** Graduate Outcomes Survey, conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this
vision. www.artscouncil.org.uk
Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of the bodies administering the Government’s unprecedented £1.96 billion Culture Recovery Funds. Find out more at www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19.
All images should be credited to photographer Richard Tarr.
Jon Beal
Arts University Bournemouth
newsdesk@aub.ac.uk
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