Emma King Consultancy

Social History Curators' Group

I'm running a workshop at the SHCG conference in Bristol this Friday on 'Using historical memory in museum learning and interpretation', co-presenting with oral historian Dr Tracy Craggs.  The workshop draws on our experience with the Sharing European Memories in Schools project as well as several years of work with the Holocaust Survivors' Friendship Association. 

It looks like a great conference programme and I'm really looking forward to a couple of days of interesting debate. 

Our workshop abstract is below, or you can download it as a pdf.

Using historical memory in museum learning and interpretation

Emma King, Museum Consultant

Dr Tracy Craggs, Oral Historian

As a society, how do we remember the past, and in what form?

Remembering, or choosing to forget, past events is important because we use our knowledge of the past to decide how we want to influence the future. ‘Historical memory’ is how societies remember, construct and commemorate past events. It is crucial in creating and maintaining a sense of individual and community identity. Museums play an important role as repositories and creators of historical memory.

This workshop will explore ways in which archives and collections can be used to explore the concept of historical memory, challenging accepted interpretations of history and helping learners to develop their critical thinking skills.

Based on a case study of the Sharing European Memories transnational partnership project, the workshop will investigate different ways of enabling learners to find meaning in museum collections and create their own interpretations of past events. Through activity and discussion, and responding to participants’ interests, we will explore a range of questions:

• How can the concept of historical memory help us engage audiences in learning and interpretation?
• What are the benefits and pitfalls of using living witnesses as part of museum learning programmes?
• How can museums be more transparent in our interpretations and encourage visitors to understand how history ‘works’?