Electrokinetica - Our mission

Proposed mission of Electrokinetica

Principal aims

To acquire, conserve, restore and display electrical and electronic artefacts, and associated mechanical, industrial and engineering artefacts.
To display the collection of artefacts in authentic settings where possible and in working order where consistent with conservational aims, with emphasis on interaction between visitors and artefacts, and to interpret the artefacts in an informative manner compatible with the authenticity of the display.
To facilitate education about the history, principles and practice of electrical technology and related subjects.
To promote and carry out crafts and practices relevant to conservation, restoration and repair of electrical and similar artefacts.
To acquire, conserve and make available for research an archive of material relating to electrical artefacts and the history of electrical technology and related subjects, and to promote and carry out such research.

Policy on working exhibits, restoration and conservation

One of the main targets of Electrokinetica's 'hands-on' format is to show many exhibits in working order. We hope this will give the greatest opportunity for visitors to experience and interact with unusual and interesting items, while helping to keep alive the skills and knowledge required to maintain them. The need to repair and service the working exhibits will sometimes conflict with the need to conserve our collection in original condition. Where practical we will therefore acquire items in duplicate or multiple, so that examples can be conserved using the best available techniques while others are operated as the makers intended with the consequent wear and tear and need of periodic refurbishment. In some cases it will be unnecessary to duplicate as the deterioration arising specifically from use will be minimal, while in other cases it will be impossible to acquire more than one example; each situation will be assessed on its own merits. We believe that our long-term aim of maintaining and enhancing a collection for research will depend on the continuing commercial success of the exhibition. A vibrant and successful exhibition will also fulfil another of our main aims; that of education. The most interesting, unique and hence informative aspects of our 'show' will almost certainly derive from the real live working items topping the bill; multimedia presentations can then be used in contrast to interpret items which for conservation reasons cannot be displayed in working order.

Current objectives

The museum and collection are presently being developed by a group of enthusiasts, while the charitable trust to operate it is formed. Once this is in operation the preparation of the public exhibition will start in earnest. Because parts of the collection will be large and difficult to move, the initial exhibition may be on a compact scale whilst resources are built up to support the full-size venue. It is likely to be a year or two in the making, but the groundwork is progressing and artefacts are being rescued.