The Cold War in Museums
Event information
Date: 8th May
Time: 10am – 12:30am
Organiser: National Museums Scotland
Venue: Online
Cost: Free
Are there Cold War objects and stories in your museum collections waiting to be discovered? How can you convey complex Cold War history in a way that resonates with a range of audiences?
At this free online event, National Museums Scotland and partners will introduce The Cold War in Museums toolkit and share experiences on collecting, interpreting and displaying Cold War history.
What will you learn?
Join the researchers and authors of the toolkit, to explore:
- How to define and describe the Cold War and its heritage
- How to identify Cold War objects and connections in your collections
- How to interpret and display Cold War history in a way that resonates with audiences
Curatorial and exhibitions colleagues at National Museums Scotland will also share their experiences delivering the exhibition Cold War Scotland, including:
- Developing the exhibition narrative, identifying objects, and filling collections gaps
- Managing ethical and sensitivity issues of exhibiting material around war
- Explaining complex history to varying knowledge levels and introducing new voices
Who is it for?
This event is for people who work or volunteer in museums and heritage organisations interested in developing or re-imagining how to collect, interpret and display Cold War history.
The toolkit is a product of the exciting research project, Materialising the Cold War. Funded by a major grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the project was a collaboration between National Museums Scotland and the University of Stirling. It explored how Cold War heritage is represented in museums and how museums can adapt to tell this story in future.