Arts University Bournemouth’s Museum of Design in Plastics has been recognised as a collection of national importance by Arts Council England
The Designation scheme identifies the pre-eminent collections of national importance held in England’s non-national museums, libraries and archives, based on their quality and significance.
A collection held by The Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP) at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) in Dorset, has been awarded Designated status, recognising the museum’s plastic exhibits as a ‘collection of national importance’.
MoDiP’s collection charts the development of design in plastics of historical, cultural and social significance. The collection includes sporting objects like an early billiard ball formed in imitation of ivory, toys including Mr Potato Head, and medical objects including prosthetic limbs.
The Arts Council Designation award puts the collection alongside the likes of the Kensington Royal Palace’s Royal ceremonial dress collection and the Ritual Judaica collection, held by London’s Jewish Museum.
Professor Susan Lambert, Chief Curator of the Museum, said: “We often see plastics depicted as objects that leave an indelible and damaging impact on the natural world, and while that’s certainly something we need to address as a global community, the current pandemic will see more than 8 billion plastic vaccination syringes used across the world to counter the threat of COVID-19.
“Over the course of the pandemic and beyond, plastics have been crucial to saving lives and ensuring the safety of populations across the world. Their sustainable and responsible disposal and innovative use is, however, something that we must consider and encourage for future generations.”
