Katy Barrett is an art curator, cultural historian and museum blogger

The changing state of conservation

There are fashions in conservation just as in any other aesthetic practice

9 Mar 2015

‘Magnificent Obsessions’, magnificent show

From teaware to taxidermy: the Barbican’s exhibition is a fascinating insight into artists’ collecting habits

16 Feb 2015

The Postcard Collector

Sophie Hill celebrates the postcard in a series of pop-up displays of pocket-sized art

11 Feb 2015

Powerful gifts: is there a darker side to ‘Gold’?

The Queen’s Gallery’s latest exhibition brings together some exquisite items, but what of their cultural and political context?

23 Dec 2014

Moholy-Nagy’s pioneering multi-sensory art

Today’s museums work hard to develop interactive, immersive and sensory displays: but Moholy-Nagy got there first

10 Dec 2014

‘Silent Partners’: mannequins at the Fitzwilliam Museum

How have artists used mannequins and dolls to manipulate their audiences?

10 Nov 2014

‘Houses as Museums…Museums as Houses’

What is it that separates a house from a museum, and do we like those separations?

18 Sep 2014

Among the poppies: volunteering at the Tower of London’s war memorial

Paul Cummins’ red field of poppies has been planted by volunteers, and is still growing

27 Aug 2014

Folk Art and ‘Civilisation’: the question of art in context

Tate Britain’s ‘Kenneth Clark’ and ‘Folk Art’ shows looked at, and outside, the art-historical canon

12 Aug 2014

Preservation vs Presentation: is digital display a solution for museums?

Why museums should put their objects online

1 Aug 2014

Impressed: Courtauld students explore contemporary prints

Courtauld students have put together a thoughtful exhibition alongside the gallery’s summer show

4 Jul 2014

Are you following? The Old Masters take to Twitter

How can museums make the most of a tool like Twitter? @SignorKentino has some tips

9 Jun 2014

Why do we need an International Museum Day?

Museums enrich communities around the world; why not take a day to celebrate that fact?

16 May 2014

‘The Educated Eye? Connoisseurship Now’ at the Paul Mellon Centre

What do we mean by ‘connoisseurship’ these days?

6 May 2014

Art and science in conversation: why now?

Why have art and science particularly come together in a glorious synergy of exhibitions in 2014?

7 Apr 2014

Theft on Film: the Hollywood trend for art heist movies

Art theft is rife in the world of film. Who doesn’t love a good heist?

11 Mar 2014

Broken Logic: vandalism, Ai Weiwei and Caminero

Now here’s a thorny discussion around art, value and vandalism…

21 Feb 2014

Royal Connections

The Queen’s Gallery’s two current shows throw the question of private collecting and its relationship to artistic patronage into sharp relief

8 Feb 2014

Private Views

How do you open a private collection up to the public? A recent symposium at the Courtauld Institute looked at the topical issue

22 Jan 2014

Fixed Price?

How do we value a work of art that is defaced, incomplete or fake? Is its damaged history actually its greatest asset?

14 Jan 2014

Digital Pathways

Now that so many visitors have smart phones, museums can use digital tools to encourage engagement well beyond the gallery walls

17 Dec 2013

Rehomed

Royal Museums Greenwich’s acquisition of George Stubbs’ Kangaroo and Dingo paintings is the most significant in their history. What’s next for the works?

17 Nov 2013

Better Out Than In?

What is the relationship between art and the market? And is an artist such as Banksy really better out than in?

4 Nov 2013