This project was exciting in terms of building the capacity of our volunteers.

 

It allowed us to deliver professional training and mentoring through the whole process of planning and installing an exhibition from objects in storage, documented stories and archive materials.

A volunteer exhibition curating team was drawn together which over 3 months completed a series of formal training sessions including:

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• Planning & researching to create a new exhibition,

•    Object handling and movement recording

• Exhibition display, lighting and labelling.

The group created a brand new exhibition, through this process gaining new skills and identifying specific talents as they worked.

This process has led to establishment of a formal in-house volunteer Exhibition Planning Committee which meets quarterly to plan future exhibitions and to manage our 10% annual change, pop up exhibitions and permanent exhibition.

This has been a hugely successful process with a significant positive impact on the development of our museum, the quality and relevance of our exhibitions.

This project also generated a high level of volunteer satisfaction and identified a high level of skill and talent.

The team attended some Museums Galleries Scotland training in ‘Numbering and Labelling and in ‘Handling Textiles’ as part of the project.

A script for the new exhibition was written by the volunteer team and subsequently professionally translated into Spanish, German, French and Italian for our overseas visitors.

We developed an excellent informative, enquiring and fun family trail. Completed trails are rewarded with a sticker which says “ I Dunollie” which has been well received by our visitors and has added to the museum experience particularly for families and children.