Gail Boyle Explained

Gail Boyle
Occupation:	Museum Curator Archaeologist
Workplaces:	Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery University of Bristol

Gail Boyle ^[1] is a British curator.

Career

Boyle is the Senior Curator of Archaeology and World Cultures at Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, former Chair of the Society for Museum Archaeology, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol.^[2] She was elected as a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London on 2 February 2015.^[3] She is also a fellow of the Museums Association.^[4]

Gail Boyle co-authored and published three national surveys of ‘Museums Collecting Archaeology’ (2016-2018) and national ‘Guidance on the Rationalisation of Archaeological Collections’ (2018). Gail designed and delivered the Society for Museum Archaeology Resources and Training Programme and was both a contributor to, and editor of, new ‘Standards and Guidance in the Care of Archaeological Collections’ (2020) and ‘Communicating Archaeology: Case studies in the use of, and engagement with, archaeological collections.’ (2021).  

Boyle was first appointed to the Treasure Valuation Committee in 2018 ^[5] and then re-appointed in 2023.^[6]

Gail Boyle is also Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society and sits on a wide variety of archaeological and heritage-related advisory groups including the Portable Antiquities Scheme Advisory Group and Historic England's Future of Archaeological Archives Programme.^[7]

Boyle became Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Council for British Archaeology in February 2024.

Publications

• Boyle, G. 2007. "One object, several thousand pieces . . . and no budget: the Newton St Loe Mosaic Project", The Museums Archaeologist 30, 49-53.
• Roberts, D. Dr, Boyle G, et al, 2015. Bristol Museums: iBeacons and Visitor Engagement Research & Development Report (The Hidden Museum Project). NESTA
• Booth, N., Boyle G., Rawden A., Museums Collecting Archaeology Research Reports 2016-18. Historic England
• Boyle G., Hutchinson, D. Mullan, G.J., Rossington, R.J., 2017. Bone Hole, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset: archaeological and palaeontological collections. UBSS Proceedings, 27(2), pp 161-183.
• Baxter K., Boyle G., Creighton L., 2018. The Rationalisation of Archaeological Archives in Museums. Historic England
• Boyle, G., 2019. ‘Always on the Receiving End? Reflections on Archaeology, Museums and Policy’, The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice. 10:3-4, pp.380-394.
• Boyle, G. and Rawden A. eds, 2020. Standards in the Care of Archaeological Collections. SMA
• Boyle, G. and Butterworth J, eds. 2021. Communicating Archaeology: Case studies in the use of, and engagement with, archaeological collections. SMA
• Boyle, G., 2022. ‘Unlocking the potential of archaeological archives’, The Oxford Handbook of Museum Archaeology, pp 271-288. Oxford University Press.
• Williams. H, et al, eds, 2022 ‘A National Strategy for Treasure? – an interview with Gail Boyle’, The Public Archaeology of Treasure pp 78-95. Archaeopress.

Notes and References

1. https://www.museumsassociation.org/careers/fellowship
2. Web site: Mrs Gail Boyle . University of Bristol . 30 September 2020.
3. Web site: Mrs Gail Boyle . Society of Antiquaries of London . 30 September 2020.
4. Web site: Gail Boyle FMA . Museums Association . 30 September 2020.
5. Web site: Treasure Valuation Committee appointment Gail Boyle . 2023-04-10 . GOV.UK . en.
6. Web site: Gail Boyle reappointed to the Treasure Valuation Committee . 2023-04-10 . GOV.UK . en.
7. https://historicengland.org.uk/research/support-and-collaboration/future-for-archaeological-archives-programme/#:~:text=The%20Future%20for%20Archaeological%20Archives%20Programme%20(FAAP)%20is%20a%20programme,and%20curation%20of%20archaeological%20archives. Future of Archaeological Archives Programme.