About Eagle & Oak
Eagle & Oak works with people responsible for cultural, heritage and landscape places — museums, historic houses, estates, gardens and organisations rooted in place.
These are often rich, complex environments. They carry history, meaning and responsibility, alongside very real pressures: financial sustainability, relevance, governance, capacity and change.
Eagle & Oak exists to help people understand what they already have, and then develop it with confidence, care and imagination.
How we work
We work quietly, collaboratively and attentively.
That usually starts with listening — spending time on site, understanding how a place feels, how it functions, and how people relate to it. We pay close attention to what is significant, what is working, and where there is tension, uncertainty or untapped potential.
Rather than arriving with ready-made answers, we help clarify:
what really matters about a place
who it is for (now and in the future)
and what kind of change is both realistic and worthwhile
Our work often sits at the meeting point of experience and operations, creativity and commercial reality, ambition and long-term sustainability.
The aim is not just to produce plans or documents, but to leave people clearer, more confident, and better equipped to make decisions themselves.
About the founder
Eagle & Oak is led by Jon Breton (O’Donoghue).
Jon has worked for over two decades across culture, heritage and visitor-focused organisations — including museums, historic places, landscapes and charitable trusts — in senior leadership, conservation, engagement, commercial and advisory roles.
He has led teams, worked directly with boards and trustees, and supported organisations through moments of growth, change and uncertainty. His experience spans experience design, operations, income generation, organisational development and long-term planning.
Alongside senior executive roles, Jon has also served as a trustee of the Museum of the Home for nearly three years, and is Chair of its Commercial Development Committee and trading company.
Eagle & Oak was created to bring that experience together in a way that is thoughtful, practical and grounded in real places — offering support that helps organisations think clearly, build confidence, and make decisions that last.
If it’s helpful, Jon’s professional background and writing are also reflected on LinkedIn.
What we bring
Eagle & Oak draws on extensive experience across culture, heritage and landscapes — including museums, estates, gardens, visitor attractions and charities.
Our work commonly includes:
experience design and interpretation
business and financial planning
commercial and earned-income development
governance, leadership and organisational change
audience understanding and engagement
We understand the realities of working with boards and trustees, the responsibilities that come with public benefit, and the practical constraints organisations face day to day.
This means our work is grounded, realistic and sensitive to context — while still being creative, forward-looking and ambitious where it matters.
This experience is reflected across a range of projects and contexts, which you can explore in the case studies.
What we believe
We believe that:
every place already holds more potential than it realises
good decisions come from understanding, not urgency
sustainability is about skills, confidence and legacy — not just finance
creativity is about thoughtful, place-specific thinking, not novelty
people closest to a place often already know the answers — they just need space, structure and support to see them clearly
We don’t believe in off-the-shelf solutions, extractive consultancy, or work that leaves organisations dependent on external expertise.
Why Eagle & Oak
The name reflects the balance at the heart of the work.
The eagle represents perspective — the ability to step back, see patterns, and understand how things connect.
The oak represents rootedness — depth, longevity, resilience and care for what endures.
Together, they speak to an approach that is both strategic and grounded, reflective and practical.
A conversation, when it’s useful
If you’re responsible for a place and:
things feel complex or unclear
you’re at a point of change
or you simply want space to think things through properly
a conversation may help.
There’s no obligation, and no pressure to commission work. Just a chance to talk, reflect, and see whether Eagle & Oak feels like the right fit.
