David Gaimster
{{Short description|British museum director and archaeologist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = David Gaimster
| image = David R. M. Gaimster DG 104.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Gaimster at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in 2019
| birth_name = David Richard Michael Gaimster
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Cambridge, England
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| other_names =
| occupation = Museum executive, archaeologist
| education = Durham University (BA)
University College London (PhD)
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
David Richard Michael Gaimster is a British archaeologist and museum executive. During the 1990s, Gaimster published extensively on medieval to early modern European archaeology, notably on ceramics and Hanseatic material culture, including the 1997 book German Stoneware, 1200–1900: Archaeology and Cultural History. Gaimster became the director of the Hunterian at the University of Glasgow from 2010 to 2017, after which he moved to New Zealand, becoming the director of the Auckland War Memorial Museum from 2017 to 2023. Gaimster was the director of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide, South Australia, in 2023 to 2024.
Early life and education
David Richard Michael Gaimster{{cite thesis |type=PhD |url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10117903/ |title=Pottery Supply and Demand in the Lower Rhineland c. 1400–1800: an Archaeological Study of Ceramic Production, Distribution and Use in the City of Duisburg and Its Hinterland |first=David Richard Michael |last=Gaimster |date=1992 |publisher=University College London |access-date=2 June 2023}} was raised in Cambridge, England, where he developed an interest in archaeology as a young child.{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/12-questions-auckland-war-memorial-museum-director-david-gaimster/CN5VLRSIUP7K4LKOOUNGI5RSPA/ |title=12 Questions: Auckland War Memorial Museum director David Gaimster |first=Jennifer |last=Dann|date=18 December 2018 |website=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=1 June 2023}}
In 1984, he graduated from Durham University with a BA.{{cite web|url=https://www.gla.ac.uk/hunterian/about/contactus/davidgaimster/ |title=Professor David Gaimster |website=University of Glasgow|access-date=1 June 2023}}{{cite journal |title=Results of Final Examinations June 1984 |journal=University of Durham Gazette 1983/84 |date=1984 |volume=II (Combined Series) |page=101 |url=https://reed.dur.ac.uk/xtf/view?docId=bookreader/DU_Gazettes/DUGazette1983-4/DUGazette19834METS.xml#page/104/mode/2up |access-date=3 June 2023}}
In 1991 he earned a PhD from University College London, with his thesis entitled "Pottery Supply and Demand in the Lower Rhineland c. 1400–1800: an Archaeological Study of Ceramic Production, Distribution and Use in the City of Duisburg and Its Hinterland".
Career
Gaimster began working for the British Museum in 1985, working as a field archaeologist, an assistant keeper in the Medieval & Later Antiquities department and briefly as the caretaker of the Secretum.{{Cite journal| pages = 126–139| last = Gaimster| first = David| title = Under Lock and Key: censorship and the secret museum| journal = Sex: The Erotic Review| date = 2001}}{{cite journal|last1=Gaimster|first1=David |author-link1=David Gaimster |title=Sex and Sensibility at the British Museum|journal=History Today|year=2000|volume=50|issue=9|url=http://www.historytoday.com/david-gaimster/sex-and-sensibility-british-museum|access-date=14 May 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-boss-david-gaimsters-plan-for-the-auckland-museum/5TAR7EVEJ5CRLMPRAFJN5TJQBY/|title=New boss David Gaimster's plan for the Auckland Museum |first=Phil |last=Taylor|date=22 April 2017 |website=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=1 June 2023}} In 1991 while working at the museum, Gaimster received a PhD from University College London.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, Gaimster published works relating to medieval and early modern European archaeology, notably on ceramics and Hanseatic material culture. In 1997, Gaimster published German Stoneware, 1200–1900: Archaeology and Cultural History, one of the most significant works on European ceramics published in the 20th Century.{{citeq|Q59128602}}{{citeq|Q59177249}} From 2002 to 2004, Gaimster worked as a senior policy advisor for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, when he worked on measures to prevent trafficking of cultural objects through market reduction approach laws. From 2004 to 2010, Gaimster worked as the General Secretary and Chief Executive for the Society of Antiquaries of London, and in September 2010 became the director of the Hunterian museum in Glasgow.
Gaimster moved with his family to Auckland, New Zealand in 2017, where he became the director of the Auckland War Memorial Museum.{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/university-of-glasgow-museum-director-to-take-over-reins-at-auckland-war-memorial-museum/SL4HETLZHERHIFJL7Y5AE5LXCI/ |title=University of Glasgow museum director to take over reins at Auckland War Memorial Museum|date=19 January 2017 |website=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=1 June 2023}} During his time at the museum, he oversaw the construction of Te Ao Mārama, a redevelopment of the south atrium space,{{cite web|url=https://www.parnell.net.nz/take-a-seat-in-parnell-gail-hoddinott-and-dr-david-gaimster/ |title=Take a Seat in Parnell: Gail Hoddinott and Dr David Gaimster |first=Gail |last=Hoddinott|date=29 May 2021 |website=Parnell Business Association|access-date=1 June 2023}} and managed the museum during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/300863240/auckland-museum-gets-funding-increase-as-council-agrees-first-round-of-budget-spending |title=Auckland Museum gets funding increase as council agrees first round of budget spending|date=2 May 2023 |first=Erin |last=Johnson|website=Stuff|access-date=1 June 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/david-gaimster-role-of-museums-in-the-past-present-and-future/KEVZLWHIEC6IKXIQDWXSSK73YA/ |title=David Gaimster: Role of museums in the past, present and future|first=David |last=Gaimster|date=30 April 2020 |website=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=1 June 2023}}
In June 2023, Gaimster moved to Adelaide to take up the position of the director of the South Australian Museum,{{cite news|url=https://glamadelaide.com.au/sa-museum-appoints-its-new-director/ |title=ARTSSA Museum appoints its new Director |first=Kelly |last=Noble |date=17 March 2023 |website=GLAM Adelaide|access-date=1 June 2023}} but stepped down from that role at the end of 2024.Simmons, David (27 December 2024). [https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/just-in/2024/12/27/sa-museum-ceo-steps-down-new-interim-boss-named SA Museum CEO steps down, new interim boss named] InDaily. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
Recognition and honours
- 1996: Elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London{{cite web|url=https://www.sal.org.uk/our-fellows/directory/prof-david-gaimster/ |title=Dr David Gaimster |website=Society of Antiquaries of London |access-date=2 June 2023}}
- 2005: SHA Award of Merit by the Society for Historical Archaeology, for his work in historical archaeology{{cite journal|url=https://sha.org/assets/documents/newsletter_archives/2005Spring.pdf |title=SHA Awards of Merit 2005 |page=5 |volume=38 |number=1 |date=Spring 2005 |journal=Society for Historical Archaeology Newsletter |access-date=1 June 2023}}
- 2016: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh{{cite web|url=https://rse.org.uk/fellowship/professor-david-gaimster/ |title=Professor David Gaimster |website=The Royal Society of Edinburgh |access-date=1 June 2023}}
- 2019: Appointed honorary adjunct professor at the University of Auckland, in Museum and Cultural Heritage
Selected publications
=Books=
- {{citeq|Q104384554}}
- {{citeq|Q77220811}}
- {{citeq|Q118935190}}
- {{citeq|Q64214989}}
- {{citeq|Q118937502}}
- {{citeq|Q63967875}}
- {{citeq|Q118938730}}
- {{citeq|Q99843293}}
- {{citeq|Q118938420}}
- {{citeq|Q115691905}}
=Chapters=
- {{citeq|Q118943639}}
=Articles=
- {{citeq|Q54331606}}
- {{citeq|Q56119600}}
- {{Citeq|Q104917169}}
- {{citeq|Q57753002}}
- {{citeq|Q77313232}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaimster, David}}
Category:People from Cambridge
Category:20th-century British archaeologists
Category:21st-century British archaeologists
Category:Alumni of University College, Durham
Category:Alumni of University College London
Category:British chief executives
Category:Directors of museums in Australia
Category:Directors of museums in New Zealand
Category:Directors of museums in the United Kingdom
Category:Directors of the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Category:Employees of the British Museum
Category:English emigrants to New Zealand
Category:English emigrants to Australia
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Category:Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Category:People associated with the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Category:People associated with the University of Glasgow