In response to any crisis, businesses pivot and find new opportunities. The management team at the Museum is doing likewise. We cannot afford to lament what was, and we are using the opportunity of remaining open to focus on new specialized tours, strategies to attract new audiences, and fresh ways to utilize existing program content. Our pivots focus on the goal of remaining an engaging, fun and trusted provider of information about the facts and benefits of mining.

An average year sees 14,000 school students visit the Museum on curriculum-based field trips. With schools unlikely to be visiting at these levels for the foreseeable future, we are aiming to push content from our education programs towards a wider audience. Digital assets, that will have a broader appeal, are currently in development. This newly developed content focuses on our site, its history, and its features. The aim is to strengthen our STEM credentials while also acting as a valuable marketing tool, encouraging online viewers to visit the Museum in person. An exciting example that we will be rolling out soon is the rental of mineral kits with downloadable lesson plans. We have forged a strong partnership with a local sponsor to deliver these kits to schools. One new audience we are targeting is homeschool groups and families. With new downloadable resources, we will be able to provide parents and caregivers with excellent content and encourage them to visit the Museum in their ‘bubbles’. Finally, to attract new audiences we are working on customized tours, through the Underground and the Mill.