The Museum Test

The Changemakers are a collective of young South Asian people working with
Glasgow Museums as part of Our Shared Cultural Heritage (OSCH): a youth-led
programme exploring the shared cultures and true histories of the UK and South
Asia, and how museums can become more useful spaces for people to explore
identity, connect with others and access opportunities.

The Changemakers have developed The Museum Test, which asks a series of questions within a visual flow chart system to determine how effectively a gallery or display handles topics of colonialism, empire, slavery, the transatlantic slave trade and representation. The aim for this test is for it to be used as a key tool by curators and museums when developing new displays which address these topics.

Beginning at question one in The Museum Test, the participant will work their way through the test, collecting points based on the answers they have selected, the sum total of these points at the end of the test will determine the outcome of the display. This result will assist curators and museums in improving their displays to better handle the topics of empire, slavery and transatlantic slavery in a more anti-racist and representative way.

After completing the test, the Changemakers recommendations page will inform the participant
on their next steps. Each recommendation is linked to a question providing the participant with guidance on how to improve their display.

The Museum Test glossary will provide clear definitions and contexts for the language used in the test.