About me

I set up Emma Chaplin Heritage and Museum Services in January 2009 after over 14 years hands on managerial and curatorial experience across local authority and independent museums in both England and Wales. I have an excellent network of contacts across the museum sector and I am an active member of AIM Council and a Regional Network Adviser for the Oral History Society.

Most recently, as Heritage and Museums Officer for Cheshire County Council, I worked as part of a Cultural Services Senior Management Team to manage a local authority museum service. I also performed a strategic coordination role for museums across Cheshire, providing museum development support, advocacy and project management across the network.

I have been fortunate to work in a range of exciting and successful museums during my career. My roles have included Principal Museums Officer for Flintshire County Council in North Wales, Keeper of Collections at The Boat Museum in Ellesmere Port (now National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port) and Collections Manager at The Dock Museum in Barrow-in Furness.

My experience and achievements include carving out new strategic directions for museums, planning and fundraising for a new museum development, managing a Designated Collection, taking museums through Accreditation for the first time, project managing new displays and coordinating successful funding bids to HLF.

I have a particular interest in learning and development, both for individuals and organisations. I believe that every piece of work should have a positive learning impact on the individuals or teams involved. I have acted as a mentor for the AMA since its inception, and have developed my coaching skills for the workplace in recent years.