Herefordshire Museum Service has been selected as a pilot museum for The Sensational Museum project

Herefordshire Museum Service has been selected as a pilot museum for The Sensational Museum project which uses innovative multi-sensory ways to engage with visitors

The Sensational Museum, supported by a £1 million grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, is dedicated to revolutionising the accessibility of museums by reshaping the role of senses in museum experiences.

As one of the chosen pilot museums, Herefordshire Museum Service will play a key role in testing prototype resources and tools developed by The Sensational Museum, its project partners, and industry professionals. The museum service will be experimenting with multi-sensory methods for engaging with collection records. It will also involve local participants in co-creation groups, to test and develop multi-sensory museum experiences.

Councillor Harry Bramer, Cabinet member cultural services and assets said:

"We are extremely pleased to be selected as a pilot museum for The Sensational Museum project. This partnership underscores our dedication to creating inclusive experiences for all visitors. We are excited to collaborate with The Sensational Museum to explore innovative approaches to engage with our collections and communities."

Professor Hannah Thompson, The Sensational Museum Project Principal Investigator, Royal Holloway University of London said:

“We are delighted that Hereford Museums Service will be one of the Sensational Museum pilot museum partners. The Sensational Museum project fits really well with the service’s inclusion and community engagement priorities and we are excited to experience the multi-sensory results of this collaboration.”

Hannah Thompson explains,

“Many people want or need to access and process information in ways that are not only – or not entirely – visual. But museums are very sight-dependent places. Let’s imagine a museum experience that plays to whichever senses work best for you. The project aims to give all visitors inclusive, engaging, enjoyable and memorable experiences.”

More information on the about the project,  including details on how to get involved will be shared on Herefordshire Museum Service's Facebook page.
 

Published: 22nd May 2024