Welcome to where I share the work I do in museums, archives and with communities. As an anthropologist and historian I am dedicated to understanding and working with intangible and material cultural heritage.
I am currently serving as the Head of Research, Teaching, and Collections at the History of Science Museum, University of Oxford. However, my journey in the world of museums extends far beyond the walls of academia.
I am a passionate advocate for the transformative power of museums so I also wear the hat of a freelance facilitator, consultant, speaker and mentor for institutions seeking to embark on ambitious and innovative projects within their collections.
My expertise spans various domains, but my journey began as a curator with a specialisation in African Art & Ethnographic collections. This initial passion laid the foundation for my extensive career in museums, where I have continually sought new methodologies to conduct provenance research, often in close collaboration with communities.
One of the hallmarks of my career has been the training and working with community members to become researchers themselves, forging a deeper connection between the collections and the people they represent. My experiences have taken me to numerous museums across Europe and Africa, providing a rich tapestry of cultural encounters and collaborative endeavours.
Beyond the realm of traditional museums, I have also ventured into the world of book and special collections, previously serving as the Head of World Collections at Cambridge University Libraries. This diverse journey has equipped me with a holistic perspective on the transformative potential of museums and collections.
MuseuM Projects
“JC Niala is one of the best practitioners I have ever had the pleasure of working with. She has had a huge impact on my own approach to working with heritage and collections, in particular the way she centres access and respect within all her work. She brings an ethic of care, generosity and patience to her practice, which opens up space for dialogue and builds trust - so central to building more equitable futures for global majority heritage located in Europe as a result of colonialism. She has a deep understanding of people, able to see perspectives from many sides and meet people where they are, to bring them where they need to be.”
— Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp, Associate Professor in Heritage Studies, Manager/ Curator Culture Lab, Institute of Archaeology, UCL East
Some projects I led
Two projects as part of Imagining Futures through un/archived pasts a network that builds methodologies of egalitarian archiving practices
History of measurement and standardisation project on South Asian collections at History of Science Museum, Oxford (current)
Rethinking relationships and building trust around African collections at:
Horniman Museum & Gardens, London; Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge; Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford; World Museum, Liverpool
Project has been used as a case study in universities, museums and cultural institutions across the UK (2019-2021)
It is also listed as a Spectrum related cataloguing resource by Collections Trust
Community Action Research and fundraised successfully for its legacy the community research hub
Journeys to Oxford carried out an ethical collecting exercise which led to the permanent display at the renovated Museum of Oxford
Boards I serve on
Museum of Oxford
V&A Research Commitee
Green Arts Oxfordshire Network
Royal Maritime Greenwich Research Committee
Publications
Academic publications on museum studies can be found on my academic publications page.
