Activities/Britain Loves Wikipedia/Local Press Template
On ...insert date..., the ...insert museum... will be taking part in ‘Britain Loves Wikipedia’. This month-long competition and series of events in involves museums nationwide with people from all ages, backgrounds and communities taking part. The aim is to encourage the public to photograph the treasures of our nation’s museums and galleries, actively involving them in digitally recording the collections. This images will then be uploaded to Wikipedia to be used in current and future articles.
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Chief Executive Roy Clare said, “‘Britain Loves Wikipedia’ provides a stimulating opportunity for museums and Wikipedia to work more closely together for the benefit of the public. This new collaboration enables museums to bring their collections, scholarship and expertise even closer to audiences in digital environments. Wikipedia provides a vivid forum for engaging public interest in the stories within collections held in museums across the country. MLA is very pleased to support this initiative and welcomes the development of partnerships between museums and Wikimedia.”
Chair of Wikimedia UK, Michael Peel, said, “Museum collections hold a vast range of objects that have great cultural significance and enhance our knowledge of our origins but are not as well covered on Wikipedia as they deserve to be. With ‘Britain Loves Wikipedia’, we hope to increase the number of photographs on Wikipedia for the world to share, enjoy and learn from.”
The celebration began at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on Sunday 31st January. Gail Durbin, Head of Online Museum at the Victoria and Albert Museum, said, “Britain Loves Wikipedia is an innovative way for amateur (or professional) photographers to make things in museums accessible to more people. We are delighted to be hosting Britain’s photography community at the kickoff event and look forward to seeing creative new images of our objects.”
Britain Loves Wikipedia then continues with: ......ADJUST FOR EACH MUSUEUM and LOCATION.......