Matthew has been called ‘One of the most outstanding cultural leaders of recent times.’ (Arts Council England SW). After training at St.Andrews University as a maritime archaeologist, Matthew has worked in the museums and heritage sector for some 30 years, including roles at the Scottish Fisheries Museum, and at Merseyside Maritime Museum, part of National Museums Liverpool. He is an experienced director of museum-based popular visitor attractions. He has developed high quality Conservation Planning techniques and their application to large and complex historic vessels and their environments.

From 2000 to 2023 he served as Director & Chief Executive of the SS Great Britain Trust in Bristol, UK. in order to create the vision and deliver the conservation of Brunel’s ss Great Britain, and he led the team that delivered the £13m conservation and regeneration of that ship. The great steamship project, relaunched in 2005, was awarded the UK Museum of the Year Prize 2006, the England Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2007, and the European Museum of the Year’s Micheletti Award for Best Industrial/Technology Museum.

In 2010, Matthew led the project to create the new Brunel Institute learning and archive centre alongside the SS Great Britain, incorporating the National Brunel Archive, and in 2018 launched the new ‘Being Brunel’ Museum alongside, the UK national museum for I.K.Brunel, which won UK Permanent Exhibition of the Year. In 2019 the SS Great Britain won the European Museum of Year Portimao Prize for the Most Welcoming Museum in Europe.

He is an Honorary Vice President of the UK Association of Independent Museums, and has advised on many other museum and maritime heritage projects, and is an Honorary Vice President of the Underfall Boatyard Trust.

He serves on the board of HMS Victory for the National Museum of the Royal Navy and chairs the Victory Technical Committee. In 2019 he was recognised with the Victory Medal of the Society of Nautical Research.

He was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of Bristol in July 2015 in recognition of his work to turn the SS Great Britain into one of the country’s finest landmarks and visitor destinations. He was elected as President of the International Congress of Maritime Museums from 2019-2023, and in 2024 was honoured with the Greenhill-Johnson Life Fellowship. He now helps other museums and cultural organisations to realise their ambitions and deliver on their goals as a consultant partner with the specialist heritage, culture and leisure industry consultancy Tandem Consulting LLP.

 

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