Dr Laura Humphreys
@bogarty.bsky.social
Curatorial Lead 🏛️
Science Museum Group collections 🛰️
Returned Cardiffian 🏴
Allotment Nerd 🌱
Views my own. She/her/hi
Science Museum Group collections 🛰️
Returned Cardiffian 🏴
Allotment Nerd 🌱
Views my own. She/her/hi
Pinned
Dr Laura Humphreys
@bogarty.bsky.social
· Dec 16
Museum-led repatriation of Second World War human remains: the case of Preben Holger Larsen - Science Museum Group Journal
bit.ly
Super proud of this one - sometimes in museums we get to do the right thing & correct a historical wrong.
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
My new book treat arrived! Very excited by this one.
February 9, 2026 at 4:13 PM
My new book treat arrived! Very excited by this one.
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
📢 Ri Freer Prize Fellowship📢
- 12-month fellowship for research on the history of science & technology, including heritage science.
- Aimed at doctoral candidates in an unfunded writing-up year.
- Get an £18,000 stipend & support to promote your research.
Apply by 31st March 2026:
- 12-month fellowship for research on the history of science & technology, including heritage science.
- Aimed at doctoral candidates in an unfunded writing-up year.
- Get an £18,000 stipend & support to promote your research.
Apply by 31st March 2026:
Ri Freer Fellowship
Applications for the Freer Fellowship are now open!
buff.ly
February 6, 2026 at 11:15 AM
📢 Ri Freer Prize Fellowship📢
- 12-month fellowship for research on the history of science & technology, including heritage science.
- Aimed at doctoral candidates in an unfunded writing-up year.
- Get an £18,000 stipend & support to promote your research.
Apply by 31st March 2026:
- 12-month fellowship for research on the history of science & technology, including heritage science.
- Aimed at doctoral candidates in an unfunded writing-up year.
- Get an £18,000 stipend & support to promote your research.
Apply by 31st March 2026:
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology
She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.
www.nature.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:09 AM
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
I've been reading about oral history today and as something I've built a lot of my work around, and something I'm intending to bring into my research, I just loved this paragraph by Paul Thompson that articulates some of how I feel about it.
'It makes for fuller human beings.' Lovely.
'It makes for fuller human beings.' Lovely.
February 4, 2026 at 4:04 PM
I've been reading about oral history today and as something I've built a lot of my work around, and something I'm intending to bring into my research, I just loved this paragraph by Paul Thompson that articulates some of how I feel about it.
'It makes for fuller human beings.' Lovely.
'It makes for fuller human beings.' Lovely.
A vital piece of Cardiff History preserved at my Mum's house. RIP Capitol Centre food court, you were the best.
#CardiffHistory #WelshHistory
#CardiffHistory #WelshHistory
January 31, 2026 at 12:29 PM
A vital piece of Cardiff History preserved at my Mum's house. RIP Capitol Centre food court, you were the best.
#CardiffHistory #WelshHistory
#CardiffHistory #WelshHistory
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
Super proud of this one - sometimes in museums we get to do the right thing & correct a historical wrong.
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Museum-led repatriation of Second World War human remains: the case of Preben Holger Larsen - Science Museum Group Journal
bit.ly
December 16, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Super proud of this one - sometimes in museums we get to do the right thing & correct a historical wrong.
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, was present at the end of the universe, having witnessed every black hole evaporate and every proton decay. Even so, Death would not come.
December 24, 2025 at 1:32 AM
And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, was present at the end of the universe, having witnessed every black hole evaporate and every proton decay. Even so, Death would not come.
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
Excellent news: from January 2027, British students will once again be able to take part in the EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme.
This is something I have long campaigned for and is a huge win for London and our young people.
This is something I have long campaigned for and is a huge win for London and our young people.
UK to rejoin EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme
Exclusive: British students will be able to participate in EU-wide scheme from January 2027, sources say
www.theguardian.com
December 17, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Excellent news: from January 2027, British students will once again be able to take part in the EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme.
This is something I have long campaigned for and is a huge win for London and our young people.
This is something I have long campaigned for and is a huge win for London and our young people.
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
What do McLaren and the Concorde have in common? 🏎️✈️
The 2025 double-winning F1 team was also the first to put carbon fibre into race-car structures back in the ’60s, thanks to engineers who came straight from working on the supersonic plane.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/48pTlbR
The 2025 double-winning F1 team was also the first to put carbon fibre into race-car structures back in the ’60s, thanks to engineers who came straight from working on the supersonic plane.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/48pTlbR
December 8, 2025 at 3:16 PM
What do McLaren and the Concorde have in common? 🏎️✈️
The 2025 double-winning F1 team was also the first to put carbon fibre into race-car structures back in the ’60s, thanks to engineers who came straight from working on the supersonic plane.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/48pTlbR
The 2025 double-winning F1 team was also the first to put carbon fibre into race-car structures back in the ’60s, thanks to engineers who came straight from working on the supersonic plane.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/48pTlbR
Well this has spread quite far, which is wonderful.
Oprigtig tak/ Sincere thanks to colleagues @sciencemuseum.org.uk, @wellcomecollection.bsky.social and at #Mindelunden for their work on this repatriation and the article to share how we managed this.
Oprigtig tak/ Sincere thanks to colleagues @sciencemuseum.org.uk, @wellcomecollection.bsky.social and at #Mindelunden for their work on this repatriation and the article to share how we managed this.
Super proud of this one - sometimes in museums we get to do the right thing & correct a historical wrong.
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Museum-led repatriation of Second World War human remains: the case of Preben Holger Larsen - Science Museum Group Journal
bit.ly
December 17, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Well this has spread quite far, which is wonderful.
Oprigtig tak/ Sincere thanks to colleagues @sciencemuseum.org.uk, @wellcomecollection.bsky.social and at #Mindelunden for their work on this repatriation and the article to share how we managed this.
Oprigtig tak/ Sincere thanks to colleagues @sciencemuseum.org.uk, @wellcomecollection.bsky.social and at #Mindelunden for their work on this repatriation and the article to share how we managed this.
Super proud of this one - sometimes in museums we get to do the right thing & correct a historical wrong.
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Museum-led repatriation of Second World War human remains: the case of Preben Holger Larsen - Science Museum Group Journal
bit.ly
December 16, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Super proud of this one - sometimes in museums we get to do the right thing & correct a historical wrong.
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
Honoured to have played a part in returning Preben Holger Larsen's remains to Denmark, and I hope sharing our methods helps other museums follow difficult research threads.
bit.ly/4iZXCpX
In a brilliant alignment of work & fun, I've been doing a lot of research about McLaren & F1 recently. V. convenient they've now won the double world championship!
Have some fun facts about #McLaren, #F1 and the history of Carbon Fibre as a treat.
blog.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/papaya-rules...
Have some fun facts about #McLaren, #F1 and the history of Carbon Fibre as a treat.
blog.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/papaya-rules...
Papaya Rules: McLaren, Concorde, and Carbon Fibre - Science Museum Group Blog
After McLaren‘s double victory this year in Formula 1, Curatorial Lead Laura Humphreys looks at their history of innovation in materials science through the collection.
blog.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk
December 8, 2025 at 11:32 AM
In a brilliant alignment of work & fun, I've been doing a lot of research about McLaren & F1 recently. V. convenient they've now won the double world championship!
Have some fun facts about #McLaren, #F1 and the history of Carbon Fibre as a treat.
blog.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/papaya-rules...
Have some fun facts about #McLaren, #F1 and the history of Carbon Fibre as a treat.
blog.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/papaya-rules...
This is some depressing, but entirely believable, reading. Over 500 museums closed since 2000 - particularly grim reading about local authority museums.
www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...
www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...
Almost 530 museums have closed since 2000, study finds - Museums Association
Research project shows that first decade after opening is the most precarious for museums
www.museumsassociation.org
December 3, 2025 at 9:26 AM
This is some depressing, but entirely believable, reading. Over 500 museums closed since 2000 - particularly grim reading about local authority museums.
www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...
www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
📢CfP: DIFFICULT COLLECTIONS📢
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
Call for Papers: Difficult Collections | UCL UCL Special Collections
UCL Homepage
blogs.ucl.ac.uk
December 3, 2025 at 8:24 AM
📢CfP: DIFFICULT COLLECTIONS📢
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
The Atlantic’s holiday gift guide is out and my contribution is hot dog.
www.theatlantic.com/culture/2025...
www.theatlantic.com/culture/2025...
November 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
The Atlantic’s holiday gift guide is out and my contribution is hot dog.
www.theatlantic.com/culture/2025...
www.theatlantic.com/culture/2025...
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
‘Before the kits, almost a third of the evidence collected from sexual assault victims in Cook County, Illinois had been inadmissible; after they were introduced, that figure fell to 2 per cent.’
Tess Little on how the ‘rape kit’ transformed sexual assault prosecutions
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Tess Little on how the ‘rape kit’ transformed sexual assault prosecutions
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Tess Little · Nutshell Crime Scenes: The Rape Kit
The rape kit is a cardboard box containing ordinary items anyone might own: envelopes, combs, swabs, nail clippers....
www.lrb.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 8:37 PM
‘Before the kits, almost a third of the evidence collected from sexual assault victims in Cook County, Illinois had been inadmissible; after they were introduced, that figure fell to 2 per cent.’
Tess Little on how the ‘rape kit’ transformed sexual assault prosecutions
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Tess Little on how the ‘rape kit’ transformed sexual assault prosecutions
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Why yes, of course I am well-versed in project management methodologies in museums...
October 31, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Why yes, of course I am well-versed in project management methodologies in museums...
A weird question for my museum collections nerds on a Monday:
Human Hair in collections. Who's thinking about/ writing about/ discussing this? What hair have you got? How do you approach potential sensitivities?
Please share far and wide! #Museums #Collections #CulturalHeritage
Human Hair in collections. Who's thinking about/ writing about/ discussing this? What hair have you got? How do you approach potential sensitivities?
Please share far and wide! #Museums #Collections #CulturalHeritage
October 20, 2025 at 8:59 AM
A weird question for my museum collections nerds on a Monday:
Human Hair in collections. Who's thinking about/ writing about/ discussing this? What hair have you got? How do you approach potential sensitivities?
Please share far and wide! #Museums #Collections #CulturalHeritage
Human Hair in collections. Who's thinking about/ writing about/ discussing this? What hair have you got? How do you approach potential sensitivities?
Please share far and wide! #Museums #Collections #CulturalHeritage
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
We used to be a country
October 18, 2025 at 8:46 AM
We used to be a country
I feel like you lot will appreciate this Cardiff postbox...
October 2, 2025 at 3:13 PM
I feel like you lot will appreciate this Cardiff postbox...
September 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Self portrait in the heat shield of a 1992 McLaren F1 car.
Some days, museum collections are very cool indeed.
Some days, museum collections are very cool indeed.
September 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Self portrait in the heat shield of a 1992 McLaren F1 car.
Some days, museum collections are very cool indeed.
Some days, museum collections are very cool indeed.
Cardiff has quite possibly the most dense concentration of artisan bakeries in Europe and I for one am *honoured* to live in such a city.
September 14, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Cardiff has quite possibly the most dense concentration of artisan bakeries in Europe and I for one am *honoured* to live in such a city.
Reposted by Dr Laura Humphreys
We're 300 followers away from 70,000. 300 more would be really nice. But you know what would be even better? 300 plus 30,000.
Bluesky: help a museum out
Bluesky: help a museum out
August 13, 2025 at 3:03 PM
We're 300 followers away from 70,000. 300 more would be really nice. But you know what would be even better? 300 plus 30,000.
Bluesky: help a museum out
Bluesky: help a museum out
Amazing opportunity here to have a say in MA policies and procedures, representing the UK's four nations. Do apply to represent your nation and the devolved issues of culture you're dealing with.
#NIMuseums #ScottishMuseums #WelshMuseums #EnglishMuseums
#NIMuseums #ScottishMuseums #WelshMuseums #EnglishMuseums
Opportunity | Become a member of our Nation Committees 👤
We're looking for 12 members to join our committees to support our work in the four nations of the UK, with places available for 3 members to join each of our England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales committees.
Apply by 14 September 👇
We're looking for 12 members to join our committees to support our work in the four nations of the UK, with places available for 3 members to join each of our England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales committees.
Apply by 14 September 👇
Opportunity | Become a member of our Nation Committees - Museums Association
We're looking for 12 members to join our committees to support our work in the four nations of the UK
www.museumsassociation.org
August 14, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Amazing opportunity here to have a say in MA policies and procedures, representing the UK's four nations. Do apply to represent your nation and the devolved issues of culture you're dealing with.
#NIMuseums #ScottishMuseums #WelshMuseums #EnglishMuseums
#NIMuseums #ScottishMuseums #WelshMuseums #EnglishMuseums