Mark Liebenrood
@markliebenrood.bsky.social
Historian, mostly museums. Postdoctoral researcher at Birkbeck 2023-2025 (https://mapping-museums.bbk.ac.uk/museum-closure-in-the-uk-2000-2025/).
Personal website: https://markliebenrood.com/
Personal website: https://markliebenrood.com/
Pinned
Museum Closure in the UK: Themes, Issues, and Trends
| Museum & Society
journals.le.ac.uk
Hello to all new followers. Just to introduce myself, I'm a historian primarily working on museums in the UK. My focus so far has been on why museums close. My latest article explores some of the themes, and it's open access: journals.le.ac.uk/index.php/ma...
New article just published: 'A Dataset of Collections Dispersal following Museum Closures in the UK during 2000–2025.' Outlines the data collected by the Mapping Museums team during their museum closure project, and it's open access. 🗃️
openhumanitiesdata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
openhumanitiesdata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
A Dataset of Collections Dispersal Following Museum Closures in the UK During 2000–2025 | Journal of Open Humanities Data
openhumanitiesdata.metajnl.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:01 PM
New article just published: 'A Dataset of Collections Dispersal following Museum Closures in the UK during 2000–2025.' Outlines the data collected by the Mapping Museums team during their museum closure project, and it's open access. 🗃️
openhumanitiesdata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
openhumanitiesdata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
The number of university jobs lost in the last three years is awful: ‘Roughly 13,300 people received severance pay from this sample of the sector alone … this is in addition to 9,290 and 6,960 in the two previous years – almost 30,000 in total.’ www.timeshighereducation.com/news/pay-spe...
Pay-off spend up by two-thirds as universities shed 13,000 jobs
Analysis of UK sector accounts shows number of job losses well above predictions, with experts warning cuts are not over yet
www.timeshighereducation.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:59 PM
The number of university jobs lost in the last three years is awful: ‘Roughly 13,300 people received severance pay from this sample of the sector alone … this is in addition to 9,290 and 6,960 in the two previous years – almost 30,000 in total.’ www.timeshighereducation.com/news/pay-spe...
The British Library’s entry in the world‘s smallest mince pie contest (cappuccino for scale)
December 18, 2025 at 11:29 AM
The British Library’s entry in the world‘s smallest mince pie contest (cappuccino for scale)
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
Ladybird Artists Advent Calendar, window 16
‘First Snow’
Artist: Rowland Hilder
‘First Snow’
Artist: Rowland Hilder
December 16, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Ladybird Artists Advent Calendar, window 16
‘First Snow’
Artist: Rowland Hilder
‘First Snow’
Artist: Rowland Hilder
I can't imagine how many people have been waiting for the British Library to open its new catalogue and make online requests possible from today. And guess what? Requests aren't working ...
December 15, 2025 at 9:22 AM
I can't imagine how many people have been waiting for the British Library to open its new catalogue and make online requests possible from today. And guess what? Requests aren't working ...
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
For avoidance of confusion, that’s just about all academic staff, excluding Heads of Dept and- of course - Senior Management Team.
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
December 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
For avoidance of confusion, that’s just about all academic staff, excluding Heads of Dept and- of course - Senior Management Team.
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
When will this crisis get any attention whatsoever!? A THOUSAND ACADEMIC STAFF AT ONE INSTITUTION SERVED REDUNDANCY RISK NOTICES! And that's not counting what's surely being visited on professional services staff too. This is an economic catastrophe, to say nothing of the intellectual catastrophe!
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
December 11, 2025 at 8:47 PM
When will this crisis get any attention whatsoever!? A THOUSAND ACADEMIC STAFF AT ONE INSTITUTION SERVED REDUNDANCY RISK NOTICES! And that's not counting what's surely being visited on professional services staff too. This is an economic catastrophe, to say nothing of the intellectual catastrophe!
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
It's wild that there appears to be more current concern for the Lost Library of Alexandria than for the British Library. The BL's crisis exemplifies the accelerating destruction--through apathy as much as by design--of human knowledge & learning. I'm not even being dramatic.
‘No one seems to care’: scholars decry plight of British Library
Historian Peter Mandler said it was “a sorry state when a major piece of public infrastructure like this is hit so badly and no one in authority even seems to notice, much less care”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Historian Peter Mandler said it was “a sorry state when a major piece of public infrastructure like this is hit so badly and no one in authority even seems to notice, much less care”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
‘No one seems to care’: scholars decry plight of British Library - Research Professional News
Humanities researchers suffer amid “agonisingly slow” recovery from 2023 cyberattack, as strikes cause further delays
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:01 AM
It's wild that there appears to be more current concern for the Lost Library of Alexandria than for the British Library. The BL's crisis exemplifies the accelerating destruction--through apathy as much as by design--of human knowledge & learning. I'm not even being dramatic.
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
News | Closed River & Rowing Museum seeks new homes for its collections
Henley institution calls for sector-wide expressions of interest for ethical transfer of objects
Henley institution calls for sector-wide expressions of interest for ethical transfer of objects
Closed River & Rowing Museum seeks new homes for its collections - Museums Association
Henley institution calls for sector-wide expressions of interest for ethical transfer of objects
www.museumsassociation.org
December 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
News | Closed River & Rowing Museum seeks new homes for its collections
Henley institution calls for sector-wide expressions of interest for ethical transfer of objects
Henley institution calls for sector-wide expressions of interest for ethical transfer of objects
The new report from the Mapping Museums Lab is out! Two years of research on closed museums and their collections from 2000 to 2025, with charts, tables, and even some pretty pictures. Get your copy here: mapping-museums.bbk.ac.uk/publications/
Publications - Mapping Museums Lab
Reports Fiona Candlin, Andrea Ballatore, Mark Liebenrood, Alexandra Poulovassilis, Peter Wood, George Wright, Maria Golovteeva, Helena Bonett (2025) Closed Museums and their Collections 2000-25: A su...
mapping-museums.bbk.ac.uk
December 2, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The new report from the Mapping Museums Lab is out! Two years of research on closed museums and their collections from 2000 to 2025, with charts, tables, and even some pretty pictures. Get your copy here: mapping-museums.bbk.ac.uk/publications/
Another journalist (Jeff, not Mic) who inexcusably doesn't know about Eliza, the first chatbot, or pretends not to.
No, ChatGPT is not conscious. Are the journalists who keep writing these fucking articles?
November 26, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Another journalist (Jeff, not Mic) who inexcusably doesn't know about Eliza, the first chatbot, or pretends not to.
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
The Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster is the only one of its kind and is due to close in December: www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/2563429... #museumclosure
'A very sad day for Kidderminster' reactions to carpet museum closure
THE news of the impending closure of Kidderminster's carpet museum has led to an outpouring of sadness at its loss.
www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 2:57 PM
The Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster is the only one of its kind and is due to close in December: www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/2563429... #museumclosure
The Quaker Tapestry Museum in Kendal is due to close in December. It's been open for over 30 years www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kendal Quaker Tapestry Museum to shut over high running costs
The announcement comes after the Kendal museum won a 2025 small visitor attraction award in July.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 2:54 PM
The Quaker Tapestry Museum in Kendal is due to close in December. It's been open for over 30 years www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Opposition to the relocation / supposedly temporary closure of Walsall Leather Museum is growing, with over 1900 signatures now. No new home for the museum has been identified so far. www.change.org/p/stop-the-c...
Sign the Petition
Stop the Closure of Walsall Leather Museum
www.change.org
November 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Opposition to the relocation / supposedly temporary closure of Walsall Leather Museum is growing, with over 1900 signatures now. No new home for the museum has been identified so far. www.change.org/p/stop-the-c...
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
📣 Call for Papers 📣
Please share widely.
I am pleased to announce a #CfPs for the upcoming international
conference on Museums and Dissidence at @officialuom.bsky.social
Scan the QR code for further details.
#Museums
#Dissidence
#PoliticalDisagreement
#Conference
#MuseumActivism
Please share widely.
I am pleased to announce a #CfPs for the upcoming international
conference on Museums and Dissidence at @officialuom.bsky.social
Scan the QR code for further details.
#Museums
#Dissidence
#PoliticalDisagreement
#Conference
#MuseumActivism
November 12, 2025 at 3:11 PM
📣 Call for Papers 📣
Please share widely.
I am pleased to announce a #CfPs for the upcoming international
conference on Museums and Dissidence at @officialuom.bsky.social
Scan the QR code for further details.
#Museums
#Dissidence
#PoliticalDisagreement
#Conference
#MuseumActivism
Please share widely.
I am pleased to announce a #CfPs for the upcoming international
conference on Museums and Dissidence at @officialuom.bsky.social
Scan the QR code for further details.
#Museums
#Dissidence
#PoliticalDisagreement
#Conference
#MuseumActivism
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Which one is more English?
Sad news about DeJohnette; this is a nice obit. I once saw him play with Jarrett's Standards Trio. There were a lot of camera flashes, irritating Jarrett. DeJohnette appealed to the audience to stop, saying: 'don't take photos, just take the music', in the most dignified way you can imagine.
Jack DeJohnette, just one of the deepest musicians ever, and a personal hero. Here is my obituary for NPR Music.
Jack DeJohnette, dynamic and instantly recognizable jazz drummer, dies at 83
Jack DeJohnette, of the most daring and singular jazz drummers of the last 60 years, died on Sunday.
www.npr.org
October 27, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Sad news about DeJohnette; this is a nice obit. I once saw him play with Jarrett's Standards Trio. There were a lot of camera flashes, irritating Jarrett. DeJohnette appealed to the audience to stop, saying: 'don't take photos, just take the music', in the most dignified way you can imagine.
Tickets still available for this in conversation event, 'Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York', online on Wednesday.
The next @mghg.bsky.social in conversation event is on Wed 22 Oct 2025 at 17:30.
Hear Jeffrey Abt talking about his book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough: Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York'.
Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mghg-in-co...
Hear Jeffrey Abt talking about his book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough: Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York'.
Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mghg-in-co...
MGHG In Conversation No.3- Ritual Objects & Art at the Jewish Museum NY
Join us for an online discussion with Dr Susanna Avery-Quash & Prof. Jeffrey Abt about his recent book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough'
www.eventbrite.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Tickets still available for this in conversation event, 'Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York', online on Wednesday.
Pollocks Toy Museum and the Bakelite Museum have been looking for new homes. This new collaborative project in Dalston, East London, could be the one: www.colvestone.org
Colvestone Co-Lab | Join the Creative Community Today
Discover Colvestone Co-Lab, a vibrant community hub in Dalston dedicated to arts, culture, and social engagement through creative spaces and local partnerships.
www.colvestone.org
October 20, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Pollocks Toy Museum and the Bakelite Museum have been looking for new homes. This new collaborative project in Dalston, East London, could be the one: www.colvestone.org
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
Films: We need to hack a keycard, obtained by seducing one of the guards. We then need to drop in from the skylight after jumping from a plane, and dodge all of the lasers and traps, carefully switching the jewels for fakes that weigh the same to avoid tripping the alarm.
Real life:
Real life:
October 19, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Films: We need to hack a keycard, obtained by seducing one of the guards. We then need to drop in from the skylight after jumping from a plane, and dodge all of the lasers and traps, carefully switching the jewels for fakes that weigh the same to avoid tripping the alarm.
Real life:
Real life:
The next @mghg.bsky.social in conversation event is on Wed 22 Oct 2025 at 17:30.
Hear Jeffrey Abt talking about his book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough: Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York'.
Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mghg-in-co...
Hear Jeffrey Abt talking about his book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough: Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York'.
Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mghg-in-co...
MGHG In Conversation No.3- Ritual Objects & Art at the Jewish Museum NY
Join us for an online discussion with Dr Susanna Avery-Quash & Prof. Jeffrey Abt about his recent book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough'
www.eventbrite.com
October 6, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The next @mghg.bsky.social in conversation event is on Wed 22 Oct 2025 at 17:30.
Hear Jeffrey Abt talking about his book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough: Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York'.
Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mghg-in-co...
Hear Jeffrey Abt talking about his book 'Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough: Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York'.
Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mghg-in-co...
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
Probably the loveliest thread you will read today, full of beauty and kindness and improvised owl physio
Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
October 5, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Probably the loveliest thread you will read today, full of beauty and kindness and improvised owl physio
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
New! Cassetteboy vs Keir Starmer.
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
September 30, 2025 at 10:55 AM
New! Cassetteboy vs Keir Starmer.
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
Reposted by Mark Liebenrood
Thousands of Londoners have indefinite leave to remain.
They have legal rights and are our friends, neighbours and colleagues, contributing hugely to our city.
Threatening to deport people living and working here legally is unacceptable.
They have legal rights and are our friends, neighbours and colleagues, contributing hugely to our city.
Threatening to deport people living and working here legally is unacceptable.
Farage vows to scrap indefinite leave to remain, placing thousands at risk of deportation
Reform UK plans to force non-citizens to apply for visas with high salary thresholds and no access to NHS services
www.theguardian.com
September 22, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Thousands of Londoners have indefinite leave to remain.
They have legal rights and are our friends, neighbours and colleagues, contributing hugely to our city.
Threatening to deport people living and working here legally is unacceptable.
They have legal rights and are our friends, neighbours and colleagues, contributing hugely to our city.
Threatening to deport people living and working here legally is unacceptable.