With daily life still far from normal we will be taking a look at how museums and other heritage organisations in our region have been adapting to engaging with audiences remotely. Through a range of case studies, we will be hearing about how we have still been reaching schools and communities in new ways, and what has been learnt so far.

This session will take place on Zoom. A link to join will be sent out in the days before the event. Join from 09:50 for 10:00 start.

Schedule:

10.00-10.05 Welcome

10.05-10.30

Learning in Lockdown, What I did in my sitting room

Cas Sanders, Learning Officer, North Hertfordshire Museum

A local authority museum in the age of Covid. Starting with a learning officer and an iPhone, North Hertfordshire Museum’s education offer has adapted throughout the lockdowns of last year. This presentation will explore how we moved from onsite based to remote learning. Charting the challenges, successes and teddy bear Pharaohs along the way. How can we use what we have learnt when we return to the museum?

10.30-10.55

Joe Carr on virtual tea dances

Collections and Learning Curator, The Red House

Early December usually means it’s time for a festive Tea Dance which is organised by Britten-Pears Arts at Snape Maltings – bringing together care homes, local community groups and dancing enthusiasts alike to enjoy music, dancing, tea and cake.

In 2020, responding to the coronavirus restrictions, the challenge was set to create a Virtual Tea Dance suitable for all ages and abilities. Learn how Britten-Pears Arts developed and delivered this exciting project and the findings and recommendations that were learned as a result.

10.55-11.05

Q&A

11.05-11.20

Break

11.20-11.35

The Special Delivery project

Candida Wingate, Senior Project Development Officer, Suffolk Artlink

Candida will tell us about Special Delivery, a creative, intergenerational heritage project, exploring the art of communication through letters and other documents held at Suffolk Archives, and how Suffolk Artlink adapted the project to deliver it remotely in autumn 2020.

11.35-11.50

Digital learning at Time and Tide Museum

Clare Fellas, Eastern Area Learning Officer

11.50-12.00

Q&A

12.00-12.15

Archaeology Online – Rendlesham Revealed: Anglo-Saxon Life in South-East Suffolk

Alice De Leo, Project Delivery Officer, Suffolk County Council

Rendlesham Revealed is a four-year community archaeology project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which aims to explore the Anglo-Saxon archaeology in the Deben valley. In 2020, the project had only just started before being turned upside down by the restrictions posed by COVID-19. Faced with the challenge to temporarily convert a practical activity-based project to a digital platform, the team launched a 10-part online series of live talks for the public, called Behind the Scenes: Analysing Anglo-Saxon Rendlesham.

Alice will share their experience in delivering an online series for the first time and the lessons learnt.

Find out more: https://heritage.suffolk.gov.uk/rendlesham

12.15-12.30

Eat Sleep Clean Repeat. Welcoming visitors back to the British Schools Museum

Mark Copley, Curator, British Schools Museum

12.30-12.40

Q&A/wrap up