It is a series of exhibitions hosted by 59 major museums and libraries across the UK that will reconnect museum collections with the people and communities that they come from. The celebration, funded by the Museums Libraries and Archives Council, will inspire young people to dig into the past and dust it down. The National Youth Agency is delivering a programme of supported activity and consultancy across the museum partnerships.
In this occasional series we look at what activity is under way. For more on Stories of the World contact Richard McKie at the National Youth Agency. Email: richardm@nya.org.uk.
A consortium of museums and archives in the Yorkshire and Humberside region organised a workshop recently around its Precious Cargo project, which will examine how objects, ideas and customs have found their way across the world and become precious items of heritage in the process.
The objectives of the workshop were to review the progress of the project through the National Youth Agency's Hear by Right framework and a series of case study presentations. The day also enabled partners to identify any further support required.
Regional co-ordinator Jon Bradley highlighted a need to ensure young people are part of museum provision and that Precious Cargo can be a driver for that process. Delegates were asked to consider how young people's voice and influence can be part of their work and how to ensure interaction between young people and museum professionals. Bradley also noted the benefits, such as new skills for both young people and the museum staff of engaging in the process.
The workshop heard from Bradford Museums and Galleries Young Ambassadors, a well-established group formed in 2005 that met as part of a previous project called Connect. The group enjoys good support from Bradford Museums and Galleries management.
The group is actively involved in sharing ideas and dialogue across the service, engaging with artists through workshops, collaborating with staff and friends of museums, and volunteering to help staff events such as new exhibitions.
