ABSTRACT
In 1939 at the start of the war, museum attendants and technicians were often among to be called up, either because they were of military age or because they had previously seen armed service. Attendants tended to have previously served in the army as it was thought that this experience was appropriate to their role as museum security guards. Museum staff with specialist scientific knowledge contributed to a variety of technological developments in wartime. For example, staff at the Geological Museum carried out field studies to identify mineral deposits for use in industrial development and assisted with aerial reconnaissance and planning military operations. The Museums Association's Diploma training was suspended and recruitment ceased. Some members of staff who were diverted into alternative wartime careers never returned to museum work. Obituary notices in Museums Journal record that staff at the V&A Museum, Southampton Art Gallery and National Museum of Wales died as a result of air raid attacks on these museums.
