The Project
Re-discovering Poole's Maritime Heritage
This exciting project means working with volunteers, residents and the local community to co-create a brand-new maritime gallery at Poole Museum. We’ll also be conserving the medieval Wool Hall, moving our Local History Centre into the heart of the museum, and updating some of our important spaces and facilities.
The new maritime exhibition will tell stories of Poole and the Sea from the ancient times to today and will be developed by, with and for visitors to the museum. There will lots of ways to get involved with the project through events, workshops, online activities and research. This important collaboration will help us choose objects, stories and designs for our new displays. We’ll also be asking for your views to make sure our new museum spaces are relevant to you.
Supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund
We are pleased to have been awarded an initial grant of £352,000 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to develop future plans for our museum. This funding will allow us to carry out creative consultation and collaboration with wide range of visitors, residents, partners and community groups, as well as enabling us to work with a team of professional architects and exhibition designers. Later next year we will be applying for a second, full grant deliver our plans.
Get Involved!
The Our Museum project will be full to the brim with fun and creative opportunities for participation.
Our Museum Project Lab:
October 3rd 2020 - January 10th 2021
This winter season, we are running a Project Lab at Poole Museum which is free for all museum visitors. Visit the lab in the museum's first floor exhibition gallery to contribute thoughts, memories and ideas informing the design of our new maritime gallery spaces.
Free public workshops, talks and events:
Gallery Shakeup Sessions, 24th October 10-11.30am or 2-3.30pm, Poole Museum
Join us for a morning or afternoon tour around the museum’s current maritime galleries and tell us what you’d keep, tweak or change.
Creative Responses workshop, 31st October 2-5pm, Poole Museum and Quay
A workshop inviting creative responses to Poole Quay, inspired by Saied Dai’s c.1978-9 work View from Poole Quay to Hamworthy Quay, with Shipping, including the opportunity to display resulting work in the Our Museum Project Lab space. Weather permitting, this workshop will include a trip to Poole Quay, so make sure to wrap up warm!
Re-imagining the Museum I: Exploring Collections 4th November, 5.30-7pm, online
Poole Museum has over 70,000 objects in its collections, and only about 3% of these are currently on display! This workshop will give an insight into the collections at Poole Museum and explore the stories we might tell in the new maritime galleries
Re-imagining the Museum II: Design and Experience: 18th November, 5.30-7pm, online
Join the Our Museum Project Team for an interactive workshop conjuring exciting new designs and experiences for the maritime gallery spaces.
Academic Roundtable. Stories of the Sea: Bridging the Gap: 2nd December, 5.30-7pm, online
This roundtable brings together artists, curators and maritime researchers. The event will explore examples of compelling contemporary maritime interpretation and consider ways to bring sea stories to life in engaging and inclusive ways.
Places are limited so booking for events is essential. To book your place or find out more send an email to ourmuseumproject@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
We are grateful to National Lottery players for making this project possible
