Home of the Infantry Regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire
National Memory Local Story Schools Project
The museum is currently taking part in a project with the
National Portrait Gallery and a company called Media 19 called National Memory
Local Story. The project is funded by The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Arts Programme
and gives young people the opportunity to learn about World War One. Other
museums taking part are The National Museum of Scotland, The National Museum of
Wales, The National Museum of Northern Ireland, The Redbridge Museum.
Museum staff and volunteers Michael Cornwell and Martyn
McIntyre are working for two weeks with ten children from Avon College,
Durrington and then two weeks with ten children from Bishop Wordsworth?s School
in Salisbury. We also have an artist in residence for the month, Henny Burnett.
Artefacts, photos and archives from the museums? collection are being used and
the children are also learning about our catalogue system called MODES.
Project summary
National Memory Local Stories is a creative participation
project, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and led by the National Portrait
Gallery, London, in partnership with Media 19 and five national and local area
museums across the UK. These are
National Museums Northern Ireland, National Museums Scotland, Amgueddfa Cymru -
National Museum Wales, Redbridge Museum and The Rifles (Berkshire and
Wiltshire) Museum.
This innovative project will explore how the discovery of
locally relevant objects from museum collections, via creative digital media
production workshops, can engage young people and artists in responding to
significant moments in the history of the First World War.
As the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War
approaches, the stories and knowledge of this conflict are no longer in living
memory. This contributes to the history
being perceived as distant and disconnected from many individuals including
young people. However, on examination the links are still there through
personal stories, objects and museum collections. We are seeking to develop
these local stories as a way into understanding the scale and impact of the
First World War at the time and its ongoing legacy today, and in relation to
current conflict throughout the world.
The use of anniversaries and centenaries by museums,
galleries and heritage sites is a common device. Through this project we aim to explore how to
make these notable dates relevant to young people. The results of this will not only link to the
ongoing events surrounding the First World War centenary commemoration (2014 ?
2018) but will be applicable to other such anniversaries for the National
Portrait Gallery and the wider sector.