An Exciting Opportunity to Help Shape the Future of a Cultural Landmark
This is a genuinely exciting opportunity to play a central role in the governance of the Fitzwilliam Museum and its conservation arm, the Hamilton Kerr Institute. The Fitzwilliam is the principal museum of the University of Cambridge and one of the world’s most significant art collections. Guided by a dynamic leadership team, the Museum is reimagining its extraordinary artistic heritage with a bold and innovative vision for the future. With over half a million visitors last year drawn by its ground-breaking exhibitions and the imaginative redisplay of its established collection, the Fitzwilliam is thriving and evolving. At the same time, the Fitzwilliam is working hard to ensure its operations and programmes are sustainable.
The Museum is seeking to appoint a number of members to its main board, known as the Syndicate. The successful candidates will become part of a highly qualified group of individuals who bring exceptional expertise, vision, and dedication to supporting the Museum in the shaping and delivery of its mission.
The Fitzwilliam Museum
The Museum is part of the University of Cambridge, sitting alongside the academic Departments and Schools, and serves as both a leading public museum for the UK and as a vital research and teaching resource. The Hamilton Kerr Institute is one of the world’s most respected centres for art conservation and heritage science.
Among the UK’s most prestigious cultural institutions, the Museum provides a bridge between the University and a much larger public. It holds an exceptional collection of over half a million objects, spanning millennia of creativity, from ancient antiquities to contemporary art. Its world-class objects include European and Asian paintings, sculptures, manuscripts and ceramics, making it a hub for both public engagement and cutting-edge research.
The Museum is undergoing an ambitious change programme which includes the redisplay of key galleries, digital innovations, and distinctive exhibitions that all aim to open up the past to unlock the future. This transformation ensures the Museum will remain at the forefront of both cultural and academic life nationally and internationally.
The Hamilton Kerr Institute is committed to enhancing its role as a dynamic centre for research, conservation science, scholarship and public impact.
Governance Framework
The Museum seeks to appoint six new members to its governing body, the Syndicate, which currently consists of twelve members, whose profiles are shown below. These appointments are due to arise from natural retirements imminently and over the next two years.
This is the Museum’s equivalent of a main board. Established by the University’s Regent House – the University’s legislative body – it is responsible for governance, strategic direction, advocacy and oversight.
The Syndicate advises the senior leadership on strategy and execution and holds it to account. It ensures the Museum has the resilience and financial sustainability to deliver its long-term ambitions, vision, mission, and business plan. The Syndicate reports directly to the University’s General Board of the Faculties, reflecting its central role in University governance. Syndics do not have the statutory responsibilities of charity trustees.