22 July 2024

Glasgow Life's Head of Museums and Collections, Duncan Dornan, is retiring

Two people on a stage at an award ceremony. One is holding a glass trophy with Winner written on it. Behind them is a large sign that reads Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023

Glasgow Life's Head of Museums and Collections, Duncan Dornan, is retiring after nine years in the role. Duncan has been with our charity for more than a decade, initially as Senior Museums Manager before becoming Head of Glasgow Life Museums in 2015. His last day with Glasgow Life will be Friday 23 August 2024.

Duncan has been instrumental in many of the city's major museum projects and initiatives, including the successful £68.25m refurbishment of The Burrell Collection. Last year, The Burrell was named recipient of the world's most prestigious museums' prize, The Art Fund Museum of the Year, and since reopening in March 2022 has attracted 1.3m visitors.

Glasgow Life Museums are assets of national and international significance and play a crucial role in driving tourism to Glasgow and Scotland. Under Duncan's leadership, Glasgow Life Museums recorded almost four million visits in 2023/24, with more than half of all visits (55%) coming from outside the UK.

Duncan said: "It has been an enormous privilege to lead Glasgow Life Museums and I would like to thank my incredible team whose passion and care for the city's collections has driven record numbers of local and international visitors. One in every three visits to a local authority museum in Scotland today is to a museum in Glasgow. Glasgow Life Museums bring audiences to Scotland because of their exceptional quality, breadth, and diversity. Our offer is both unique and world leading, and our role as an innovator in museums practice is recognised globally, which is something I'm very proud of."  

Our Chair, Bailie Annette Christie, said: "Glasgow's museums are cherished by local people because they show who we were, who we are and who we want to be. Anyone who has ever visited one of Glasgow's great museums has reason to be grateful for Duncan's exceptional contributions. He has taken Glasgow Life Museums to even greater heights, and this is reflected in the awards and interest we receive from around the world. On behalf of everyone at Glasgow Life, I wish Duncan the very best for the future and a long and fulfilling retirement."

Our search for a new Head of Museums and Collections is already underway and we are working with Saxton Bampfylde as Glasgow Life's recruitment partner for this appointment. Candidates interested in applying for the role should contact Will Timmins at will.timmins@saxbam.com for more information. 

This announcement will be communicated to media at 9.30am on Monday (22 July).

Duncan is pictured (left) receiving the 2023 Art Fund Museum of the Year prize for The Burrell Collection from artist Sir Grayson Perry at a ceremony at the British Museum in London.