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Dr Laura Humphreys

@bogarty.bsky.social
2.4K followers 1.9K following 227 posts

Curatorial Lead 🏛️ Science Museum Group collections 🛰️ Returned Cardiffian 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Allotment Nerd 🌱 Views my own. She/her/hi

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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
@suryabowyer.com has introduced the SMG curators to the Anthropeum game by @mapoochoo.bsky.social today. It is super hard but SO GOOD! You guess the time/place of origin of objects. I've professionally embarrassed myself ("top 97%"!) but I'm determined to improve tomorrow! anthropeum.com
anthropeum.com
Anthropeum
A daily game that challenges our understanding of human cultures. Ten objects. 5,000 years of human history. Guess where and when each artifact was made. See how you rank.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Yep, the opposing views of Francis Drake was something we explicitly wanted to cover in the gallery. Muppets already done it better than we ever could.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Tim Curry choosing to portray the many layers of of a likeable, despicable criminal did more for teaching kids about the history of pirates than anything I'll ever do in a museum.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Truly, we didn't deserve this man, or his incredible portrayal of Long John Silver. A comedian extraordinaire, who can go from a musical number with 100 puppets like its the last night of the proms, to making us all want to cry when he said "I'll be taking it either way, Jim."
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I still think our best approach would have been to have that running on a projector with a dress up box. What better sums up the golden age of piracy? On occasion there may be someone you have to *execute* But when you're a professional piraaaaaaate, You don't have to wear a suit!
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I am also reminded of when a colleague described how they wanted a historic display on pirates to be accurate, but also kid friendly, in some detail. To which I replied, so basically "Professional Pirate" from Muppet Treasure Island? He had never seen it and I was happy to enlighten him.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I'm making an UGH the worst week playlist and I have discovered that Muppet Treasure Island, aka some of Tim Curry's finest work, isn't on Spotify?! Disney or The Henson Studio or Miss Piggy or whoever's in charge over there need to sort this out. Stat.
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Jay Roszman @jayroszman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A small thing - but for those who regularly use British Newspaper Archive and were freaking out (as I was!) about having lost years of saved articles from the old 'folder' section - it is under 'My Research' ----> 'Bookmarks'. 🗃️
A screenshot of the British Newspaper Archive website showing a number of my 'bookmarks' saved from their old site.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I'm only about halfway through and there is much work to be done yet, but this Ken is one of my faves. collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co52...
collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk
African American Dream Glow Ken doll | Science Museum Group Collection
African American Dream Glow Ken doll, wearing a suit, with moulded plastic hair, brown eyes, and black skin. Dream Glow Ken has a glow-in-the-dark star pattern on his pink waistcoat (vest) and a glow-...
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
At the Science Museum we have an amazing selection of Barbie Dolls. They were bought at auction in the 00s essentially for set dressing, but as I'm cataloguing them in quieter moments, I'm finding out some really interesting stuff about them. I'd kill to trace their former owner!
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
🫠
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
The wider issue is the peanuts UKRI is operating with. Under £10bn for the engine of the UK's research in ALL subjects should be a national disgrace. Jodrell Bank is a helpful example but we are losing so much across *every* research field. This underfunding will damage the UK for decades to come.
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One More Catch @onemorecatch.site · 19/07/2026
First National Trust background secured 🙏
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Bless you Rob
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One More Catch @onemorecatch.site · 22/06/2026
An edited Pokémon Go notification which reads:

The Prime Minister fled! Check the nearby list for other Prime Ministers
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Mossforatu @dinolich.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Welcome to Taskmaster!!! Would you like to play a game?
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
YES
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Ian Kikuchi @curatorian.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Tech opinion: devices should detect when they're being used on public transport, and anti-social use should trigger a message on all nearby devices so that other passengers can vote on whether to brick the offender's phone.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
On his passing, a chance to share this amazing photo of David Hockney. Hockney in front of his painting of Henry Geldzahler, with Geldzahler himself. Oh, and it was taken by Cecil Beaton. You could write a book about this photo alone. collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co86...
collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk
David Hockney and Henry Geldzahler | Science Museum Group Collection
Silver gelatin copy print made ca.1970s. Photograph by Sir Cecil Beaton of artist David Hockney (right) and Henry Geldzahler standing in front of hockney's painting of Geldzahler and Christopher Scott...
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Stephanie Kollmann @slkollmann.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Yes. Using a computer now feels like this at all times.
Man yelling into bored woman's ear in nightclub meme captioned 

I can summarize that for you
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
An eclectic reading month but I wholeheartedly recommend both of these books. And in their way, they share something about the march of technology and how it can change the world. How to build a car by Adrian Newey and Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
I have been getting a bunch of Phillip Morris ads about smoking on there too - one saying the question they get asked most is why they don't stop selling cigarettes and the answer was someone else will if we don't. And I was like... is this satire?! Nope.
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Surprised Eel Historian, PhD @greenleejw.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
I don’t know what to tell you, man. I’m a medieval historian, and, in my field, if you don’t check your sources (and your sources’ sources) you are just asking to be taken for a ride by some bored 19th C. aristocratic English antiquarian with a penchant for inventing history.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
This is blindingly obvious to many in the sector, but well worth saying. I'm glad we now have research to put into words what myself and many of my colleagues are experiencing every day - there are simply not enough of us to keep the show on the road! www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...
museumsassociation.org
Lack of staff is biggest challenge facing museum directors this year - Museums Association
Leadership survey finds stretched resources are leading to long-term decline in core collections activity
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
If you're researching and you're not bothering to check citations/ check the outputs of LLM or AI-assisted work... You're not actually researching. Because that's the whole ballgame. Again, AI can be a really powerful tool but you can trust it as far as you can throw it.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
In the last few weeks I have seen the Google AI summary: - hallucinate a WWI soldier - confidently state a photo from 1935 was from a film made in the 40s - identify someone as LGBT with no evidence AI can do some brilliant things. But it will invent nonsense over saying I don't know EVERY TIME
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Jon Agar @jonagar.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
re-posting for the, uh, late afternoon crowd
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Still one week to apply for this awesome Archivist post based in Wiltshire with an absolutely amazing collection. #Archives #Archivist #Wiltshire #Swindon
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
An exciting job opportunity with my team - come join us as the Science Museum Collection Archivist! 📒📚📼📜💾📔🗂️ Part time (4 days/80%), permanent, based at the Science and Innovation Park near Swindon. Happy to answer Qs/ chat about the role before you apply. ce0111li.webitrent.com/ce0111li_web...
ce0111li.webitrent.com
Powered by MHR
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Full-funded (home or international) collaborative PhD studentship (Kew and Royal Holloway, University of London) available. Deadline 8 May. Topic: ‘Just acquisitions? Law and ethics over time in Kew’s overseas plant collecting history’ #Skystorians
royalholloway.ac.uk
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Still thinking a lot about AI & curatorial practice. It strikes me that while I often get AI hallucinating nonsense that is demonstrably untrue, it never just says "I don't know" Knowing - and admitting - the limits of our knowledge is such an important skill. Not just for curators - for everyone.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Gwen John: Strange Beauties at @amgueddfacymru.bsky.social is so worth a visit. Beautiful design with art text that pitches perfectly, and truly weird, captivating paintings. Well worth a trip to National Museum Cardiff for this one.
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ianVisits @ianvisits.co.uk · 26/03/2026
There are some tribbles in the Science Museum today. Five minutes later: The Science Museum is being evacuated as it fills up with tribbles. Five hours later: London declares a state of emergency Five days later: Welcome to Planet Tribble
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Nathan Bossoh @nathanbossoh.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
The issue seems to be that if a significant proportion of people adopt AI writing, then an individual’s performance will be measured in terms of efficiency rather than skill, which means that the latter will almost automatically place you behind the curb. Or at least there’s a higher risk of that!
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Ian Kikuchi @curatorian.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Given that a big chunk of museums' authority comes from the expectation that texts/captions etc are written by experts, there's a real risk if AI undermines that.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
But this thought also makes me feel like I'm old and losing it.
media.tenor.com
a cartoon character in a suit and tie stands in front of a fire escape
ALT: a cartoon character in a suit and tie stands in front of a fire escape
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
It also worries me about skills for the future (which I know is definitely not limited to curatorship). Being able to write and edit for different contexts and to serve different audience is a learned and practiced skill. And we'll lose that skill if we start outsourcing it.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
At the moment, on a small scale I think. But we can't know (for sure) who is using gen AI to edit labels or re-word conference talks without honest discussion. But I think we will probably follow publishing/ journalism and need statements on AI use or human-made content in the near future.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
A question for #Museum and #Curator Bluesky - who else is thinking a lot about the value/ danger of using AI in writing and editing for museums? In exhibitions, galleries, talks, digital content, etc - I am finding myself staring into the distance worrying about it *a lot*.
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One More Catch @onemorecatch.site · 03/03/2026
PSA: there’s a new loading screen in Pokémon Go today 👇
A Pokémon Go loading screen featuring a Trainer and various Pokémon standing in front of a waterfall
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Just got an email I have been dreading. The 10 Dahlias and other assorted bulbs I bought in the depths of winter just to feel something have been dispatched today. I now need to find time to plant up a small flower farm. Aaaaargh.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! A piece I wrote exploring some of the Welsh-made wonders in the Science Museum Group collections. Enjoy! Ysgrifennais i am rhai o'r pethau gwneud yng Nghymru yn y casgliadau y Grŵp Amgueddfa Gwyddoniaeth. Mwynhewch! #StDavidsDay #DyddGwylDewi bit.ly/4cmhv9A
bit.ly
Gwneud yng Nghymru: Made in Wales - Science Museum Group Blog
To celebrate St David’s Day, the national day of Wales, Curatorial Lead Laura Humphreys looks at some of the Welsh stories of science and innovation in the Science Museum Group Collection.
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One More Catch @onemorecatch.site · 23/02/2026
One More Catch isn't just a site - it's also a newsletter! Get a free guide to the week ahead in Pokémon Go every Monday, plus features on the world of Pokémon, direct to your inbox by joining our mailing list: www.onemorecatch.site/newsletter/
A phone on a desk with the website One More Catch displayed.
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One More Catch @onemorecatch.site · 23/02/2026
To celebrate One More Catch's launch, we asked the biggest Pokémon fans we know what they want to see from Gen 10, which is almost guaranteed to be revealed on Friday:
onemorecatch.site
What do you want to see from Gen 10? I asked the biggest Pokémon fans I know
Voice acting, more dynamic battles, and the return of proper ruins are just some hopes for the 10th generation of Pokémon.
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Matthew Reynolds @mattreyn.games · 23/02/2026
Some news - today I’m launching One More Catch, an independent publication covering Pokémon Go and the next generation of Pokémon games: @onemorecatch.site
onemorecatch.site
Welcome to One More Catch
Pokémon Go coverage is evolving...
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Ali Messer @freereed59.net · 19/02/2026
#HistoryEducation
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Glyn Morgan @grmorgan.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
*Finally* able to talk about the Star Trek @sciencemuseum.org.uk team-up we are organising for the 60th anniversary! Special events, world first film season, exclusive merch, props and costumes from the Paramount archives, and more! www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/star-trek-60
sciencemuseum.org.uk
Star Trek at 60 | Science Museum
Boldly go where no one has gone before with our special season celebrating the 60th anniversary of Star Trek.
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Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
My new book treat arrived! Very excited by this one.
Copy of Globalising Welsh Studies: Decolonising history, heritage, society, and culture.
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National Heritage Science Forum @nhsf.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
📢 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:
buff.ly
Ri Freer Fellowship
Applications for the Freer Fellowship are now open!
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Mar Hicks @histoftech.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
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...
nature.com
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.
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