The tension in museum interpretation between global and local histories was the main issue to emerge at this year’s Social History Curators’ Group (SHCG) conference, which took place at the Ulster Museum and Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Belfast on 27-28 June.
More than 50 delegates gathered in Northern Ireland to discuss the conference theme of Local stories, global identities.
Among the speakers was Georgina Young, who discussed the ongoing development of a new direction for the Museum of London Docklands, which is redefining current notions of place and locality.
She called on museums to consider place as “the story so far”, as it is constantly changing and evolving, and to involve visitors in its definition. Focusing exclusively on local histories had obscured other stories the museum should tell, such as in relation to the slave trade, Young said.
The debate on the first day proposed that "local history has had its day", a view strongly argued by Zelda Baveystock of the Migration Museum Project. Baveystock called on curators to banish fusty ideas of localism and to embrace the global issues that affect their communities’ daily lives.
Group for Education in Museums chairman Nick Winterbotham, opposed the motion, and cited everyone from Shakespeare to education secretary Michael Gove in arguing that the local remains of primary importance.
The motion was resoundingly defeated, with many delegates highlighting the importance of a sense of place in relation to visitors and collections. However, there was strong support for telling human stories and connecting collections with wider narratives.
New methods of interpretation were another recurrent concern of the conference.
Catherine Littlejohns, senior collections officer for public history at Bristol Museums and Art Gallery, gave an interesting and useful insight into the opportunities and challenges created by co-curating a recent exhibition with a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history group at Bristol’s M Shed.
William Blair, the head of human history at National Museums Northern Ireland, discussed the imminent large-scale changes to the Ulster Museum’s displays on the modern history of Northern Ireland. Delegates welcomed the chance to see the current galleries and enjoyed handling objects in the museum’s history discovery centre.
The second day saw discussion of digital interpretation and a performance by traditional Irish musicians bringing to life the historic buildings of the Ulster Folk Museum.
The difficult current financial situation was, inevitably, a recurring theme of conversation between delegates. Steph Mastoris, the head of the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea, led a discussion of the impact of the cuts and delegates shared experiences and tips for resilience. Generally, however, the mood at the conference was extremely positive.
Many delegates explored the museums in Belfast and there was a fascinating walking tour of the Titanic dock and pump house. Several people extended their stay and explore further over the weekend, including an optional trip, organised by SHCG, to see was on offer at the Derry-Londonderry City of Culture 2013.
Helen McConnell is the editor of the Social History Curators’ Group Journal and the collections officer for public history at Bristol Museums and Art Gallery
More than 50 delegates gathered in Northern Ireland to discuss the conference theme of Local stories, global identities.
Among the speakers was Georgina Young, who discussed the ongoing development of a new direction for the Museum of London Docklands, which is redefining current notions of place and locality.
She called on museums to consider place as “the story so far”, as it is constantly changing and evolving, and to involve visitors in its definition. Focusing exclusively on local histories had obscured other stories the museum should tell, such as in relation to the slave trade, Young said.
The debate on the first day proposed that "local history has had its day", a view strongly argued by Zelda Baveystock of the Migration Museum Project. Baveystock called on curators to banish fusty ideas of localism and to embrace the global issues that affect their communities’ daily lives.
Group for Education in Museums chairman Nick Winterbotham, opposed the motion, and cited everyone from Shakespeare to education secretary Michael Gove in arguing that the local remains of primary importance.
The motion was resoundingly defeated, with many delegates highlighting the importance of a sense of place in relation to visitors and collections. However, there was strong support for telling human stories and connecting collections with wider narratives.
New methods of interpretation were another recurrent concern of the conference.
Catherine Littlejohns, senior collections officer for public history at Bristol Museums and Art Gallery, gave an interesting and useful insight into the opportunities and challenges created by co-curating a recent exhibition with a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history group at Bristol’s M Shed.
William Blair, the head of human history at National Museums Northern Ireland, discussed the imminent large-scale changes to the Ulster Museum’s displays on the modern history of Northern Ireland. Delegates welcomed the chance to see the current galleries and enjoyed handling objects in the museum’s history discovery centre.
The second day saw discussion of digital interpretation and a performance by traditional Irish musicians bringing to life the historic buildings of the Ulster Folk Museum.
The difficult current financial situation was, inevitably, a recurring theme of conversation between delegates. Steph Mastoris, the head of the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea, led a discussion of the impact of the cuts and delegates shared experiences and tips for resilience. Generally, however, the mood at the conference was extremely positive.
Many delegates explored the museums in Belfast and there was a fascinating walking tour of the Titanic dock and pump house. Several people extended their stay and explore further over the weekend, including an optional trip, organised by SHCG, to see was on offer at the Derry-Londonderry City of Culture 2013.
Helen McConnell is the editor of the Social History Curators’ Group Journal and the collections officer for public history at Bristol Museums and Art Gallery
