The UK Medical Collections Group aims to demonstrate how medical collections can benefit the public, researchers, and professionals. Through partnerships with various medical museums, they had groups of adult learners explore collections and create short films about stories and topics that interested them. This included older adults, refugees/asylum seekers, those with disabilities or learning difficulties, and retired medical professionals. The films gave non-traditional museum audiences a voice and helped interpret collections in a personal way. Both participants and museums benefited from new perspectives and understanding of collections. The project was successful and the group hopes to continue collaborating.

1. Almut Grüner
Chair, UK Medical Collections Group
Chief Executive, Thackray Medical Museum

2. UK Medical Collections
Group
“Our aim is to demonstrate how
medical collections can make a
difference to the public, to historical
researchers and to professionals.”

3. Hunterian Museum - Jenner Museum - British Dental Association – George
Marshall Museum - Old Operating Theatre - Thackray Museum
In each museum, a group of adult learners
explored the collections and learned how to
make a short film. They chose the stories they
wanted to tell, and how they wanted to tell them.
Most had not been to “their” museum before.

4. Non-traditional museum audiences
• Older people
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• Adults with learning difficulties
• Retired mental health professionals and
mental health service users
• Unemployed writers
• Hearing impaired

5. Film 1: Hunterian Museum & pensioners
Film 2: Thackray Museum & deaf group
Film 3: British Dental Association & people with learning
disabilities
Films available on
www.youtube.com/user/
UKMCG

6. “I hadn’t previously heard of the museum and it
has provided me with extra knowledge of the
development of medicine in London.”
“The Museum is a fascinating place and I’ve
discussed it with colleagues and friends who
are interested to visit the museum.”

7. Collections?
• Participants do the research
• Intensive engagement with
collections – over extended
period of time
• Contributing their knowledge –
e.g. from being affected by
disease, disability, receiving
treatment
• Inspired by collections
Workshop participants, Old Operating
Theatre

8. Interpretation?
• People’s own stories and
individual experiences
• Empathy with people in the
past
• Direct line from past to present
• Finding their own way(s) of
understanding collections
• In-depth engagement with
collections and their context
Workshop participants, Thackray Museum

9. “It has enabled us to use a new technique to explore
the museum and work with a new audience.”
“ We would not have had the confidence to do a
project like this on our own.”

10. What did we get
out of it?
• Partnership works!
• Win by losing control
• A perspective we do not have
• Better interpretation
• People appreciate our
collections on an entirely
different scale
• Scope for further and wider
cooperation
Animated film scenes

12. We have more ideas…
• Health, Well-being and the Medical
Museum
– Evidence that we can contribute
– Research into how we can contribute more
• Communication, communication,
communication (in the network)
• Social Return on Investment

13. “This project has given a voice to many people whose
stories would not otherwise be seen or heard.”
www.youtube.com/user/UKMCG