The Barnton Bunker Preservation Society recently took part in a workshop on the Cold War!
The workshop was hosted at Alconbury Weld with support from the Imperial War Museum.
This October, the Barnton Bunker Preservation Society was delighted to attend the workshop convened to explore the establishment of an interdisciplinary network dedicated to the preservation of Cold War Heritage. Hosted at Alconbury Weld with support from the Imperial War Museum, the initiative was led by Dr Peter Robinson, Head of the Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Management from Leeds Beckett University. The event brought together a wealth of academics, some organizations devoted to history and its preservation and a few enthusiasts in a Round Table.
The rich history of the Cold War period (1949-1991) has, in comparison to World War Two, been largely neglected. The impacts of this war were not only political but also economical, social and cultural. It shaped our world.
Through this group work, the goal was to establish a community, to share ideas and reflect together on preserving the Cold War Heritage and restoring its vestiges. This resulted in discussions on the renovation initiatives focused around the approach to curatorship and visitor experience. Finally, the impetus to establish a network is to professionalise the approach to the Cold War Heritage.
The proposed network is a response to a resurgence of public and professional interest in the Cold War. It seems important to us to give voice to this part of history and make it accessible to as many as possible. A mission all the more important since, given its relative recency, there is a limited window of opportunity to capture the memories and personal experiences of those who lived during this time. This network, therefore, leads a preservation process of this heritage in all these forms, such as equipment, buildings, objects and archives.
A network would facilitate partnerships to develop the evidence base for curatorship and visitor experience, which are essential to support applications for heritage funding. The results of these works would be tested with demonstration projects coordinated and evaluated through the University. This partnership also makes it possible to carry out larger scale work such as conducting a National survey of Cold War assets. This would make it possible to bring together knowledge and propose local projects accessible to as many people as possible.
It’s also an opportunity for the different member organizations to work together. This includes, for example, collaborating on acquisition, storage and disposal of assets. For smaller associations, sharing administrative infrastructure, shared protocols, templates and tapping into corporate experience.
The network presents a great opportunity for the Barnton Bunker Preservation Society, and we are looking forward to collaborating with Leeds Beckett and Lancaster Universities and our Cold War comrades to support this important initiative.
A big thank you to our volunteers, Bill and Kate who attended on behalf of The Barnton Bunker Preservation Society. They played a crucial role at the workshop, and we appreciate their support.
