Alison Hess

Alison Hess is a Lecturer in Museum and Gallery Studies at the University of Westminster, specializing in the history and use of museum collections, particularly in storage. She holds a PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London, and an MA in Historical Research from Lancaster University. Her career spans academic and museum sectors, including roles at the Science Museum Group and collaborative projects with institutions like Museum Wales and Ingenium-Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation.

• Education: PhD (Royal Holloway, University of London), MA (Lancaster University)
• Previous Role: Assistant Curator in Research and Public History at Science Museum Group
• Current Role: Lecturer at University of Westminster, leading AHRC-funded research networks

Her research explores:

• Material culture and history of communications technology
• Emotion and care in museum collections stewardship
• Digital humanities applications for collections access
• Community engagement with 'unloved' heritage objects
• Infrastructure of museum storerooms
• Power dynamics in collections access

She has contributed to exhibitions like the BBC Radio 90th anniversary display at the Science Museum and is developing recommendations for researcher access to collections at the National Collections Centre.