Innovations in Museum Displays: An update

Swannington Heritage Trust and the Sir John Moore Foundation have been successful in their applications to the Innovative in Museum Displays (IMD) fund.

Innovation in Museum Displays is lead by Graham Black and Deborah Skinner, lecturers at the Nottingham Trent University, Centre for Museum and Heritage Management. They are supported the East Midlands Museums Service (EMMS).

The aim of the project is to encourage risk taking in museums, inspired by Graham Black’s research into participative exhibits and practitioners such as Nina Simon. IMD funding will help these museums to provide outstanding displays for their visitors and users.

The Projects

Swannington Before the War
Swannington Heritage Trust’s project will culminate in Swannington Before the War Week, a chance to see history literally on residents’ doorsteps.

QR codes will reveal historical events that took place on that very spot and allow people to upload their memories and comments via Smartphone. At the village hall, displays and comments boards will allow people to comment in person, share oral histories and copy photographs.

There will be micro-talks in village pubs and a special night event, as well as a publication and space for children to remake the village and add their own improvements.

Arty Facts and Digi Tales
Sir John Moore Foundation will use their archaeological finds, artifacts and stories to inspire people to engage with their heritage.

They want to concentrate on hard to reach young people and help them take an active part in planning and delivering the project. Arty-facts will be an interactive, educational, aesthetic water feature about archaeology.

The feature will include a “poet-tree,” as identified by young people, to enable visitors to create poems inspired by their experience for inclusion in the museum’s digital collection. Digi-tales will experiment with creating young people led engagement between visitors and the collection and stories, using a digital format.

Round one…

is now complete, with the discussions, challenges and learning outcomes of the planning workshop held with mentors and participating museums from 26 September 2013, ready to view on the IMD website here.

Find out more and follow future developments

If you would like to find out more about the Innovation in Museum Displays project and the successful programme participants (including other successful applicants), visit the IMD website at www.innovationinmuseumdisplays.co.uk

The project is funded by Arts Council England.