Well-being has emerged as a key concern in museum theory and practice. Until now however the focus has been on the well-being of museum visitors, whilst the well-being of museum workers has received less attention. This article aims to contribute a specific focus on the emotional well-being (understood here as mental health and emotional resilience) of the museum workforce, as museum work can be emotionally draining, to the point of compromising emotional stability. Museological theory on health, well-being and care in museums is brought into dialogue with theory in psychology on emotional well-being, and connected with examples of practice at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (MICR), Geneva, in order to substantiate the argument that taking care of the emotional well-being of the workforce is an essential part of "care" in museums.
This article addresses the theme of care for gallery, library, archive, and museum (GLAM) professionals by exploring a suite of practices of care for staff wellbeing co-developed within Wellcome Collection, a free museum and library in central London. We begin by providing some context on why and how practices of care for staff are being developed at Wellcome Collection. We then share three case studies drawn from across the organization on: working with creators of material through new acquisitions; assessing and working with sensitive material; and engaging the public with our collections. We conclude by reflecting on key learning from these case studies and considering next steps: the challenges and opportunities to embed learning and practical tools for care across all teams.
