The image below provides an example timeline of lockdown restrictions, the associated closure of museums, and experiences of furlough for a mid-career museum worker.
The timeline has been developed from a series of interviews undertaken with museum staff who were placed on furlough, as well as museum curators and management. While experiences will differ from one institution to another, the timeline articulates the common experience of uncertainty that came with repeated opening and closing of museums. While furlough was described as a 'lifesaver' by many, that does not mean that this was not a period of significant stress for those involved.
As we move towards the second anniversary of the first lockdown, this is a timeline that we hope has reached its conclusion, but as Covid-19 continues to impact our lives there is a recognition that furlough or museum closures may return in the future.
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