In April 2023 local people were invited to ‘get to know your museum’, asking the question ‘have you ever walked past the museum on Cathedral Green and wondered what’s inside?’…
Erica, Gemma, Lisa and Sue took up the challenge and partnered up with museum volunteers Sue, Jon, Jeff and Annie to explore the collections during the course of May and June 2023, with input from the Hon Curator and artist Jan Ollis. The creative outputs which resulted went on display in the museum during July and August.
Jan says: "I can honestly say that working on this programme has been an honour. The work created by the four mentee women in a very quick six weeks surpassed my expectations. I myself have discovered so much about the artefacts held in this small local museum and I regret not visiting it more in the past.
Each week, I met with the participants to discuss objects that inspired them and consider creative outcomes that would be displayed in a sharing event for family and friends mid-July 2023. Most participants were inspired by more than one object, so my role became more of a thoughtful editing one. The Wells and Mendip Museum volunteer mentors were fully engaged in the process and were incredibly helpful in contributing to the final outcomes."
'Get to Know Your Museum' was inspired by 'Discover Museums', part of the Pathways to Wellbeing programme at the Holburne Museum in Bath. We are grateful for the support of Louise Campion and her team for generously giving their time to train volunteer mentors at Wells & Mendip Museum, and to Somerset Art Works who are partnering with the museum as part of the Search & Learn project.
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