National Science and Media Museum asks public how it should use its extensive collection

The National Science and Media Museum is launching its Ideas Hub launches on Thursday March 26 and it will run until June.

The hub is a collaborative space for the public to explore, engage and have conversations with museum staff looking at how the museum presents its objects, tells stories and programmes its exhibitions and events.

A key part of the Hub is an area for visitors to explore a series of objects that represent all areas of the museum’s collections, including photography, film, television and sound. Visitors will be encouraged to give feedback on their preferred way of learning about the objects’ stories - whether it’s text, imagery, video or another method. Objects range from the original Mousetrap Camera invented by one of the fathers of photography William Henry Fox Talbot in the 1830s, to an original Teletext television receiver from the 1970s, and an early iPod from 2003.

Painstaking work to move pieces of TV history to make way for new at the National Media Museum

During its time at the museum Ideas Hub will also provide a space for a rolling programme of events focusing on a number of themes relating to the museum. Details of the individual events will be announced throughout the project.

Commenting on the project, Alice Parsons, Interpretation Manager, said: “Ideas Hub will see us using our temporary gallery in a very different way to usual, alongside objects we’ll have staff from teams across the museum on gallery throughout the week, a collaboratively programmed workshops space and more opportunities than ever to feedback and start a conversation with the museum.

"I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to hear from and talk with our visitors about our collections, our exhibitions and our place in the city of Bradford. I hope people will join us in this exciting process and have their say.”

For further information about Ideas Hub, visit: https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/