Knowledge Exchange: The Museum of Ordinary People: Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

The Museum of Ordinary People celebrates the ripples that ordinary people leave behind, finding the magic in the mundane. 

Hear the story behind the ethos and development of this activist museum, and the nature of collection interpretation, museums’ roles in the culture(s) we’re a part of, and the extraordinary stories we have the power to tell. 

Museums are unique places to tell extraordinary stories through ‘ordinary’ objects. The various objects in museum stores across the country, many of which may be considered ‘ordinary’, may be utilised to tell real and emotionally engaging stories. These stories reflect a diverse range of audiences, engaging with the communities in which they are centred. 

Topics covered in this session:

-The stories museums tell with their collections

-How collections are interpreted

-The significance of real human lives and stories

– How to make a wider range of collections vivid and engaging

– Employing an activist approach to museum collections

– the opportunity to work more closely with the Museum of Ordinary People