A museum has launched a new project inviting residents to help uncover hidden stories behind its collections.
North Hertfordshire Museum’s Connecting Collections project invites adults from Global Majority backgrounds – those with heritage linked to countries with a colonial history – to take part in a collaborative exploration of the museum’s holdings.
Participants will examine objects from around the world, investigate cases of potentially unethical acquisition and highlight stories from underrepresented communities.
Tamsin Thomas, councillor responsible for enterprise at North Herts Council, said: “We are thrilled to launch our Connecting Collections project, all made possible by grant funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
“As a council, we are excited that North Hertfordshire Museum and participants from our community will work together to help us better understand our fantastic museum collection, and we look forward to seeing what they find.”
The museum is seeking participants aged 18 and over who identify as Black, African, Asian, brown, mixed-heritage, indigenous to the global south or from communities often described as ethnic minorities.
Those selected must be able to commit to 10 sessions taking place between November 2025 and March 2026.
Sessions will be scheduled based on participants’ availability.
Participants will receive reimbursement for their time with a choice of vouchers.
The project has been made possible through funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, which is run by the Museums Association and supports projects that develop collections to achieve social impact.
Since its launch in 2011, it has awarded 178 grants totalling more than £12.9 million.
Applications are open until Sunday, October 26, although this may close early in the event of high numbers.
For more information or to apply, visit www.northhertsmuseum.org/connectingcollections or call 01462 474272.
North Herts Museum, on Brand Street, is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10.30am to 4.30pm and Sundays from 11am to 3pm.
Admission is free.
The museum includes a café serving drinks, snacks and light meals.
More information can be found by following @northhertsmuseum on Facebook and Instagram, visiting the museum’s website or calling 01462 474554.
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