Talks
We can offer a range of talks on subjects across the range of museum tasks. We can deliver these online, or in-person (subject to travel practicalities).Talks are based around a 1 hour session; a 45 minute talk and plenty of time for questions and discussion afterwards.We understand micromuseums and volunteers do not keep regular office hours. We are all set up for evening and weekend bookings.
If you want to book a talk, or simply talk about talks, then feel free to email us at marvellousmicromuseums@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you.
General talks
These talks are designed as standalone introductions but are well suited to generate interest in volunteering. We are happy to discuss tailoring the content to create a specific link to your museum, and embedding our talk in your ‘recruitment evening’ or similar.
- Why do we collect? The history of museums
- An introduction to why humans seem to have an impulse to collect and how we formalised that into the museums we now visit. A non-technical talk suitable for all audiences
- What makes micromuseums marvellous?
- An explanation of why we think tiny, local museums hold specific features which give them enormous potential. If you want to know more about the theory of museums, what they are and how they work, this is for you.
“It made me think what museums are for, the history of opening up knowledge to the masses“
About the Collection
- What is interpretation?
- The theory and practices of Tilden Freeman’s Interpretation approach and how it might apply to your museum.
- Using a personal story
- Creating a display around a named, historical individual
- Finding your micromuseum’s voice
- Finding the unique character and personality of your museum
- Repeat or unique? Are you attracting loyalty as well as speculative visitors?
- Who and how are you reaching your visitors and can you do more, for less?
- Labelling
- How to create more effective, impactful, accessible labels around your museum
- Educational activities
- How to keep children engaged with your displays; how to match your displays to key stages in education, both for school visits to your museum, and outreach in schools
Reaching out further
- Social media – going viral
- We can show you how to extend your reach beyond your opening hours by using various forms of social media, without ‘breaking the internet’ or going viral for the wrong reasons.
- Reaching your community
- Giving you ways to become more engaged with and supported by your local community, and to thrive as an asset.
- Making your museum accessible
- This will help you design your museum and exhibits to enable everyone to enjoy your objects and stories.
- Offering work experience – inc returners to work, DofE, Scout badges etc
- We can help you expand your appeal to volunteers by supporting them to achieve their specific needs and desires.
Managing your museum
- Succession planning
- We can help you in generating ideas, discussions and planning to ensure your museum can exist beyond its original founders.
- Cataloguing
- We can demonstrate the importance of having a catalogue, then help with options to create, develop or improve your cataloguing system, including helping with volunteer recruitment
- Governance options – Setting up as a charity and Accreditation or not?
- We can give you advice on the pros and cons of charitable status and accreditation.
- How to get useful feedback
- This talk looks at how you might get more and better feedback from guests, by looking at more interactive, ‘gamefying’ methods
- Working with volunteers
- We can give you advice, and policies and processes suitable for recruiting, training and retaining volunteers.