Connections Through Collections

“An outsider group with insider knowledge” (Rob, CTC collaborator)

Connections Through Collections builds on a pilot project which explored community engagement with our collections development strategies. The project is co-led by ten collaborators drawn from across the Cambridge community. Where possible, outputs from the project are designed to capture their voices. While initially focused on our acquisitions policies, project participants have also engaged with topics ranging from physical and intellectual accessibility of the museum, display content and layout. Over the course of the project the Connections group have engaged with staff from across the Museum, including curators, technicians, learning and engagement staff, and deputy directors. The Connections co-curated display opened in late 2023.

“I think [the Fitzwilliam] could be an amazing part of the community” (Susan, CTC collaborator)

How can the Museum centre participant agency, knowledge and experience through listening, exchange, careful invitation and active participation?
How can participatory methodologies catalyse organisational change?
What happens when we place communities at the heart of how we expand, develop and use our Museum collections?

You can read more about the project in this blog post by Rob Hales Making Connections Through Collections blog post

The group also co-delivered a workshop at Group for Education in Museums Annual Conference, 2023. They reflect on the workshops and their experiences at the conference in this blog post Breaking the Silo.

This project was funded by the Research England Particpatory Research funding (via the Collections-Connections-Communities Strategic Research Initative), Research England Enhancing Research Culture and the Fitzwilliam's Marlay Group.