A programme run by Chester's Grosvenor Museum to engage 'hard-to-reach' groups has been commended as a success by all involved.
Soothing Sea, Whispering Water opened up collections to groups who did not usually use the museum for a series of workshops. All 40 participants reported that their confidence had increased and they had learnt new skills. They also said they had benefited from mixing with people of different backgrounds and generations – something they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to do.
The scheme began in 2005, when new manager Sue Hughes decided to broaden the museum's learning programme to introduce the idea 'life-long learning'. Within this she saw a need to engage groups identified by the council as hard-to-reach for greater inclusion in services, and felt the Grosvenor's collections offered the ideal starting point.
Day trips and workshops
In one case from Soothing Sea, Whispering Water, people of varying ages got to work with both an artist and a writer to explore underused displays and reserves in the museum's collection. Visits to the Blue Planet Aquarium and Thursaston Beach then placed the collections in context, and inspired a range of writing and artwork on the theme of 'the sea' which was displayed in the museum and the wider community.
The project also raised a number of thought-provoking challenges. Artists worked with the Stroke Association and a young carers group to help them explore the museum's Natural History collections. Some carers looked after physically disabled family members and people with drug and alcohol problems, while the Stroke Association's participants had suffered physical limitations, which made social interaction more of an obstacle.
Never the less, despite some initial reluctance towards the project and indifference towards the museum – including some negative perceptions – by the end of the project, everyone involved felt the experience had been positive.
Lasting results
As Sue Hughes enthused, "Everyone involved learnt new skills and increased their confidence. By far the most important outcome for the museum was the shift in people's perceptions. By the end of the project participants no longer felt that museums were 'not for them'."
She added: "Barriers were successfully overcome by all participants and long term partnerships were established with the museum."
There were other positive outcomes. Group leaders gained experience by working within the cultural and heritage sector, and the council developed new perspective on how Grosvenor Museum might contribute to the lives of the community in the future.
For more detailed information on Soothing Sea, Whispering Water, please visit the case study section on the MLA research website