Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 1hVEXblog is back!! This week, we’re talking luxury experiences, and what the museum and heritage sector can take from them. Research was tough on this one… vexblog.substack.com/p/lessons-in... 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Rating Ben Stiller’s security skills and ruminating on the true magic of a Night at the Museum over on Substack open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comVEX at the Movies 2A Frank Assessment of the Visitor Experience in Night at the Museum 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Today’s VEXblog is a little bit different, and hopefully a big bit fun 🦕 🦖 open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comVEX at the MoviesA Frank Assessment of the Visitor Experience in Jurassic World 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 25/06/2026We have so many amazing partnerships in place to help us put together our visitor offer - and in the VEX world, it’s our job to make them fly. Some top tips on ensuring the visitor experiences that seamless delivery we are all aiming for in today’s VEXblog 🖊️ open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comAll In It TogetherHow progressive partnerships are the key to success 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 11/06/2026This is a rant close to my heart and common to all cultural charities, I think. But what is Third Man Syndrome? open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comThird Man SyndromeMy biggest pet peeve in cultural charities... 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 28/05/2026In today’s VEXblog I fall out with visitors, then make up open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comWhoops, I Fell Out With VisitorsOr, how to get the good vibes back when they're not vibing 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Today’s VEXblog is a love letter to teamwork - with some surprising accolades. Read and subscribe here open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/... 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 04/05/2026Here’s a picture of my dog in her new Palace Host uniform, in case anyone particularly needs this in their Bank Holiday Monday 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 30/04/2026Today’s VEXblog is about the joys of being Duty Manager - the skills, the challenges and the WTFs Read and subscribe here: open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comBeing Duty ManagerWhat it takes and why it can be the best job in the world 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 16/04/2026Are other people hell? I explore the most variable part of any visitor experience in today’s VEXblog Find and subscribe at vexblog.substack.com 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 02/04/2026Debate rages on about reintroducing charging in national museums. In the meantime, I can’t help but think through the ops… open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comFive Impacts of Introducing Charging to the NationalsBeyond the question of whether the Government should introduce charging, what could the practicalities be on the ground? 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 19/03/2026Heritage toilet fanatics assemble! 📣 So excited to talk all things functional in today’s VEXblog and share some upcoming bathroom projects at Hampton Court 🚽 open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comIt's the Toilets, StupidWhy we should celebrate our great “houses of easement” 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 06/03/2026“Even though so many people come to this sector because they love talking to people, the temptation to talk at people so often seems to triumph… We all have examples of museum interactions (mono-actions?) that have gone beyond the human to the inhumane” open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comThe Art of DialogueAn appreciation of genuine human connection is long overdue 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 19/02/2026How our year of scaffolding is going, in today’s Substack open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comStaying Open, Staying ProfitableNavigating Major Works Without Losing Visitors 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 05/02/2026What’s the best Vis Ex interview question you can ask - and how can you answer it? open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comMy Favourite QuestionThe best interview question in the world, and how to answer it 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 22/01/2026open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comThe Blame GameHave you ever fled the scene of a museum mishap? 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 08/01/2026My first VEXblog post is live, and it’s basically a list of all my failures. Come for the schadenfreude, stay for the helpful Visitor Experience content! Subscribe for two-weekly posts sent straight to your inbox open.substack.com/pub/vexblog/...open.substack.comOn Trying to FailWhat are the ‘broken bones’ of your visitor experience career that taught you valuable lessons? 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 05/01/2026I’m keen to back to writing about visitor experience in 2026. So I’m starting a Substack! VEXblog will be a regular dose of all things vis ex straight to your inbox. Subscribe below and expect new content soon! open.substack.com/pub/vexblogopen.substack.comVEXblog | Rachel Mackay | SubstackVEXblog is a Substack for people obsessed with delivering amazing visitor experiences in museums, heritage and cultural attractions. Click to read VEXblog, by Rachel Mackay, a Substack publication. La... 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 01/01/2026High-fiving the New Year like…. Long may yer lum reek from Hampton Court Palace 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 24/10/2025Thoroughly enjoyed the amazing #MarieAntoinette exhibition @vamuseum.bsky.social 020
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 15/10/2025A brilliant time to visit the Wilderness at Hampton Court Palace - the autumn colour is stunning 🤩 020
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 17/08/2025A Welsh escape this weekend enjoying beaches, hills, BBQs and lush landscapes 🏴 020
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 05/08/2025#GotchaDay Can’t believe it’s a year since I brought this fluff ball home 🧡 Yes I deliberately wore the same top 130
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 25/07/2025Flora and I had fun hanging out with London Fire Brigade and the RNLI as part of #WorldDrowningPreventionDay at Hampton Court Palace As a riverside palace, so important for us to help engage our local community in water safety 💧 020
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 22/07/2025What are the new frontiers of VEX I would talk about if I was writing Delivering the Visitor Experience today? Find out in my new piece for @blooloop.bsky.social blooloop.com/museum/opini...blooloop.comThree new challenges in visitor experienceRachel Mackay identifies three fresh challenges in visitor experience since she published her book Delivering the Visitor Experience in 2023. 031
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 14/06/2025We’re well into the 2025 run of the Hampton Court Palace Music Festival - always one of my favourite times of year! James, Rag n Bone Man and Tom Jones have already knocked it out of the park (palace) - tonight it’s the turn of Bananarama! 000
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 05/06/2025Spent a wonderful day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social as part of our HRP Ops Leads away day 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 15/05/2025Looking forward to being in Theatre 2 at 13:00 @museumsandheritage.com Show today - come and hear us talk about our new philosophy of visitor engagement! 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 04/05/2025Going all out for Flora’s birthday today - meeting up with her siblings this afternoon! 🥳 🎂 040
Reposted by Rachel MackayRichard Fitch @tudorcook.bsky.social · 03/05/2025You can't put a better bit of butter on your knife! #ShowingMyAge Weekends of cookery are back at Hampton Court Palace all year from today. Tudor preservation methods are the topic for the year, and the first few weekends are butter making. 0554
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 27/04/2025There have been many power struggles over the centuries at Hampton Court Palace, but none more tense than that between Flora and her pigeony nemesis. 050
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 22/04/2025I’m horribly fickle when it comes to Hampton Court tulips: Here are today’s faves 🌷 011
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 12/04/2025It’s the first weekend of the award-winning #TulipFestival at Hampton Court! 151
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 07/04/2025Hampton Court is really starting to bloom now 🌺 050
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 23/03/2025An MA student asked me a question last week and afterwards, I felt like I’d answered it in a really unhelpful way! I’ve tried again on LinkedIn, so posting it here too, with alt text. 020
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 22/03/2025Nice to see the first signs of life appearing on the Great Wisteria 030
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 18/03/2025The Palace is looking amazing tonight for the dress rehearsal of our new after dark audio tour, #StillTheHours 🎧 This is something very special ⏰ Find out more ⤵️ www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-cour... 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 16/03/2025A bit of spring colour in the Gardens at Hampton Court 150
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 14/03/2025Just finishing a fab couple of days in Liverpool, learning at the Association for Cultural Enterprises conference. So much great content and a wonderful city to explore! 010
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 13/03/2025Delighted to see HRP’s amazing Schools Access Fund shortlisted for Best Learning Programme and equally delighted to see the wonderful Dundee Contemporary Arts shop is a finalist too - I rarely visit without parting with some cash! 021
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 03/03/2025Loving the crocuses.. crocii??… on the joust lawn at the moment 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷 021
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 02/03/2025The Wilderness is looking beautifully Springy right now 040
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 01/03/2025This morning I could barely see my own hand, so a throwback to yesterday morning when sunrise in the Great Fountain Garden was a beautiful thing 040
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 22/02/2025Nothing like your puppy judging you for spending Saturday morning on the sofa 030
Rachel Mackay @rachmackay.bsky.social · 20/02/2025Finally got to the wonderful #MedievalWomen @britishlibrary.bsky.social today - such amazing, wonderful stories. Go, go, go before it ends! 010