Lily Crowther
@lilcrowther.bsky.social
Historian, curator, DPhil student, museum trustee, Yiddishe mama.
Museums, craft, design, architecture, making, teaching with objects.
Museums, craft, design, architecture, making, teaching with objects.
Reposted by Lily Crowther
The old test in moral philosophy ‘what if everyone did that?’ is coming back to haunt us. LLMs only work because the information they are sucking up was not generated by LLMs. But as they drive more and more real researchers out of business they are building layers and layers on their own quicksand.
January 28, 2026 at 8:22 AM
The old test in moral philosophy ‘what if everyone did that?’ is coming back to haunt us. LLMs only work because the information they are sucking up was not generated by LLMs. But as they drive more and more real researchers out of business they are building layers and layers on their own quicksand.
Proud to come from a long line of diasporists and Bundists. Doikayt - ‘hereness’ - is a powerful thing. Start small, start local, keep going.
It’s not a coincidence that some of the active watchers there are also committed to diasporism. If authoritarianism learns from itself, so does resistance to it.
January 27, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Proud to come from a long line of diasporists and Bundists. Doikayt - ‘hereness’ - is a powerful thing. Start small, start local, keep going.
We are looking for a new trustee to join the board of the Brooking Museum of Architectural Detail, @thebrooking.bsky.social. It’s an exciting time as we shape the future of the charity - find out more and apply app.nurole.com/roles/6964e1...
Nurole | The Brooking - Trustees
<p class="mb-2" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Brooking is seeking to appoint two committed and dynamic Board members who can support the charity through an exciting period of tran...
app.nurole.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:02 AM
We are looking for a new trustee to join the board of the Brooking Museum of Architectural Detail, @thebrooking.bsky.social. It’s an exciting time as we shape the future of the charity - find out more and apply app.nurole.com/roles/6964e1...
Reposted by Lily Crowther
📣Apply for Small Grants Funding!
Are you looking to conduct research into social or cultural history? Do you need support with archival visits, organising a conference, or buying specialist equipment?
⏰Our next funding deadline is 1 March
socialhistory.org.uk/funding/smal...
Are you looking to conduct research into social or cultural history? Do you need support with archival visits, organising a conference, or buying specialist equipment?
⏰Our next funding deadline is 1 March
socialhistory.org.uk/funding/smal...
Small Grants
The Social History Society maintains a Small Grants Fund to support our members to carry out research activities and hold events. We give priority to activities and event that would otherwise remai…
socialhistory.org.uk
January 23, 2026 at 4:52 PM
📣Apply for Small Grants Funding!
Are you looking to conduct research into social or cultural history? Do you need support with archival visits, organising a conference, or buying specialist equipment?
⏰Our next funding deadline is 1 March
socialhistory.org.uk/funding/smal...
Are you looking to conduct research into social or cultural history? Do you need support with archival visits, organising a conference, or buying specialist equipment?
⏰Our next funding deadline is 1 March
socialhistory.org.uk/funding/smal...
Reposted by Lily Crowther
How much craft, art of all kinds are part of, will be part of, repairing the world, loving one another, helping us imagine other worlds. But only if they're really for everyone.
January 25, 2026 at 8:15 AM
How much craft, art of all kinds are part of, will be part of, repairing the world, loving one another, helping us imagine other worlds. But only if they're really for everyone.
Sometimes I really miss Dull Museum Snaps from the bad place.
New year, new equipment: a larger trolley custom-built to handle our collection, with no more tipping when we move hefty doors! The trolley is already earning its keep by helping our staff to move a cell door from Guildford Police Station, which dates to 1854.
January 22, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Sometimes I really miss Dull Museum Snaps from the bad place.
This reminded me of training to handle collections of Japanese edged weapons. Most important lesson: if you drop one, don’t try to catch it.
Oooh good question for historians and archaeologists... what's the oldest thing you've accidentally been injured by?
I've cut myself with numerous flint flakes and implements ranging from 6000-3500 years old) - I'm sure someone can outdo that...
I've cut myself with numerous flint flakes and implements ranging from 6000-3500 years old) - I'm sure someone can outdo that...
The hazards of archival work
Today I got a papercut on my finger from a glossy magazine from the 1960s while scanning it
Today I got a papercut on my finger from a glossy magazine from the 1960s while scanning it
January 19, 2026 at 2:30 PM
This reminded me of training to handle collections of Japanese edged weapons. Most important lesson: if you drop one, don’t try to catch it.
Do other people’s cats insist on this?
January 15, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Do other people’s cats insist on this?
Reposted by Lily Crowther
A Bluesky challenge!
We've got so many great heritage/GLAM accounts here now, that some are flying under the radar
From national organisations to niche collections, these active accounts are all (at time of posting) under 500 followers-lowest at 9-how many can we get over 500?
go.bsky.app/U16Nwsw
We've got so many great heritage/GLAM accounts here now, that some are flying under the radar
From national organisations to niche collections, these active accounts are all (at time of posting) under 500 followers-lowest at 9-how many can we get over 500?
go.bsky.app/U16Nwsw
January 12, 2026 at 3:52 PM
A Bluesky challenge!
We've got so many great heritage/GLAM accounts here now, that some are flying under the radar
From national organisations to niche collections, these active accounts are all (at time of posting) under 500 followers-lowest at 9-how many can we get over 500?
go.bsky.app/U16Nwsw
We've got so many great heritage/GLAM accounts here now, that some are flying under the radar
From national organisations to niche collections, these active accounts are all (at time of posting) under 500 followers-lowest at 9-how many can we get over 500?
go.bsky.app/U16Nwsw
Reposted by Lily Crowther
Deadline approaching | We're looking for a global majority evaluator for our Anti-racist Museums Programme and a facilitator for two round-table workshops on wellbeing and ableism in the museum sector 👤
Programme evaluator: https://ow.ly/Ba4E50XTnil
Workshop facilitator: https://ow.ly/QsMo50XTnim
Programme evaluator: https://ow.ly/Ba4E50XTnil
Workshop facilitator: https://ow.ly/QsMo50XTnim
January 8, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Deadline approaching | We're looking for a global majority evaluator for our Anti-racist Museums Programme and a facilitator for two round-table workshops on wellbeing and ableism in the museum sector 👤
Programme evaluator: https://ow.ly/Ba4E50XTnil
Workshop facilitator: https://ow.ly/QsMo50XTnim
Programme evaluator: https://ow.ly/Ba4E50XTnil
Workshop facilitator: https://ow.ly/QsMo50XTnim
Woodpecker outside the kitchen window today. This bright weather is good for the soul.
January 3, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Woodpecker outside the kitchen window today. This bright weather is good for the soul.
Reposted by Lily Crowther
The Embassy staff of Germany, France and the United Kingdom sing Schedryk in the Kyiv underground.
Wonderful!
Wonderful!
December 24, 2025 at 10:29 PM
The Embassy staff of Germany, France and the United Kingdom sing Schedryk in the Kyiv underground.
Wonderful!
Wonderful!
Due to complex family arrangements tomorrow, I made our traditional Xmas fry-up brunch for today’s dinner instead, and coined a new portmanteau: Yule Brinner.
December 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Due to complex family arrangements tomorrow, I made our traditional Xmas fry-up brunch for today’s dinner instead, and coined a new portmanteau: Yule Brinner.
Met our friends’ new kitten, Pippin. Verdict: excellent.
December 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Met our friends’ new kitten, Pippin. Verdict: excellent.
Reposted by Lily Crowther
It’s a sad indictment of Britain’s ignorance of nature that Sycamore Gap petitions - for a tree that mattered to humans but not nature - received tens of thousands of signatures but a petition to protect entire peatland habitats is stuck at 1,500 actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal...
Sign the petition to end peat sales!
No more delays: Let's get peat out of gardens once and for all. The time for uncertainty has ended.
actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk
December 15, 2025 at 8:15 AM
It’s a sad indictment of Britain’s ignorance of nature that Sycamore Gap petitions - for a tree that mattered to humans but not nature - received tens of thousands of signatures but a petition to protect entire peatland habitats is stuck at 1,500 actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal...
So many layers of snobbery around Christmas decorations (as in every other aspect of British life). I reckon the ‘tasteful’ tree - white lights, Scandi-chic - is very middle-middle/new money, whereas the upper middle classes are all about clashing colours, tarnished glass and threadbare tinsel.
Coloured lights are definitely lower class.
December 8, 2025 at 11:24 AM
So many layers of snobbery around Christmas decorations (as in every other aspect of British life). I reckon the ‘tasteful’ tree - white lights, Scandi-chic - is very middle-middle/new money, whereas the upper middle classes are all about clashing colours, tarnished glass and threadbare tinsel.
Reposted by Lily Crowther
Museum folks! I'm running a small, anonymous & unscientific survey about how much museums and other heritage organisations pay writers. If you have a moment, please respond, and share if you can. Thank you!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
How much do museums and heritage organisations pay freelance writers?
An informal, unscientific and totally anonymous survey asking how much museums pay writers. This is for my personal research only, results won't be published.
docs.google.com
December 8, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Museum folks! I'm running a small, anonymous & unscientific survey about how much museums and other heritage organisations pay writers. If you have a moment, please respond, and share if you can. Thank you!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Lily Crowther
PhD studentships available in: Creative and Cultural Industries, Media, and Arts Practice (EDI in Practice); Identity, Representation, and Social Justice (EDI in Theory and Experience); Humanities, Philosophy, and Literature (EDI in Knowledge and Method). More details in link below.
Oxford Brookes University has a huge raft of AHRC-funded PhD studentships in the Arts, Humanities and allied subjects! Both fees and a stipend covered. Take a look at the ad below - the closing date is 30th January 2026. Anyone interested at all, get in touch!
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPM937/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPM937/p...
PhD Studentship : AHRC Landscape Award PhD Studentship in the Arts and Humanities at Oxford Brookes University
Start your UK & international job search for academic jobs, research jobs, science jobs and managerial jobs in leading universities and top...
www.jobs.ac.uk
December 2, 2025 at 10:28 AM
PhD studentships available in: Creative and Cultural Industries, Media, and Arts Practice (EDI in Practice); Identity, Representation, and Social Justice (EDI in Theory and Experience); Humanities, Philosophy, and Literature (EDI in Knowledge and Method). More details in link below.
Reposted by Lily Crowther
Bumper harvest of PhDs on offer at Kew Gardens at the moment - on many aspects of plants including ethnobotany and humanities approaches. Closing dates December -January: www.kew.org/science/trai...
Available PhD opportunities
Discover our funded PhD opportunities in environmental science and plant humanities and learn about our involvement with a range of Doctoral Training Partnerships and similar schemes.
www.kew.org
November 30, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Bumper harvest of PhDs on offer at Kew Gardens at the moment - on many aspects of plants including ethnobotany and humanities approaches. Closing dates December -January: www.kew.org/science/trai...
The soft animal of his body loves what it loves (it loves blankets)
November 28, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The soft animal of his body loves what it loves (it loves blankets)
Reposted by Lily Crowther
Are you a PhD student & interested in using museum collections in your teaching or research?
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
November 25, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Are you a PhD student & interested in using museum collections in your teaching or research?
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
Reposted by Lily Crowther
Job alert! 🚨 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Edinburgh Uni to work w/a team of historians on a new project, Voices in Slavery's Archive: Law, Place and Testimony in British Guiana, which will build a digital archive out of the recorded words of enslaved people. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPN147/p...
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Edinburgh
Discover an exciting academic career path as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at jobs.ac.uk. Don't miss out on this job opportunity - apply today!
www.jobs.ac.uk
November 24, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Job alert! 🚨 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Edinburgh Uni to work w/a team of historians on a new project, Voices in Slavery's Archive: Law, Place and Testimony in British Guiana, which will build a digital archive out of the recorded words of enslaved people. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPN147/p...
Reposted by Lily Crowther
A description of a machine that manufactures lies, from Gianni Rodari’s ‘Telephone Tales’ (1962).
November 8, 2025 at 11:43 PM
A description of a machine that manufactures lies, from Gianni Rodari’s ‘Telephone Tales’ (1962).
A description of a machine that manufactures lies, from Gianni Rodari’s ‘Telephone Tales’ (1962).
November 8, 2025 at 11:43 PM
A description of a machine that manufactures lies, from Gianni Rodari’s ‘Telephone Tales’ (1962).
Reposted by Lily Crowther
Some excerpts from my piece in the current issue of BBC History Magazine @historyextra.bsky.social on the stories that museums can & should tell with a focus on my new book & Charlotte Schreiber’s incredible collection of over 5,000 objects that are now spread across the V&A & the British Museum
November 5, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Some excerpts from my piece in the current issue of BBC History Magazine @historyextra.bsky.social on the stories that museums can & should tell with a focus on my new book & Charlotte Schreiber’s incredible collection of over 5,000 objects that are now spread across the V&A & the British Museum