Are we there yet? - The journey to embed digital thinking and practice at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

9 museums, galleries and an archives service1.1 million objects

12 miles of shelving

Digital as essential audience focused principles An opportunity to challenge existing systems and traditional museum thinking

‘We assuage ourselves with the idea that in the digital era, people will still visit museums because they want to see the “real thing”, what we don’t admit is that many of the “real things” we display just aren’t that compelling enough to get people in the door.’

- Nina Simon, Mediations on Relevance, Part 5: Relevance is a Bridge

technologists | teachers | architects | interaction designers | sound recordists | gaming communities | film makers | musicians | animators | data visualisers | poets | biomedical

researchers | curators | calligraphers | robotocists | forensics experts | geneticists | making communities | black metal community | AI researchers | healthcare pros

We don’t develop autonomouslyCreative ideas exist within everybody in the organisation

The nature of creativity is to make space for things to happen…we can drive it out with our busyness and plans.’

- Iain McGilchrist, The Master and His Emissary

Knowledge is not enough – we need to develop as creative thinkersWe need the space to create and experiment

Small scale R&D Open to all members of staff from all departments

Piloting one question or methodology considered innovative to TWAM practice

Supporting conversationIdentifying allies and mentoring potential champions

41 members of staff ranging from FOH – SMT 17 submitted proposals, 11 pitched proposals

Expanding networks = new ways of thinking, new practice, new audiencesProgramming conversations, creating informal encounters

Curatorial staff meeting academic researchers to develop organic project proposals

Getting staff away from their desks

How can we creatively use the museum space and its collections to spark greater public dialogue and participation?

Provoking learning through STEM related activity to inspire a new generation of inventors, makers and thinkers

Future Makers

Gadgets: Adventures in Design

New Inventors: Electro Dough

New Inventors: Build Your Own Synth

TimeCraft

The Museum as Medium

Railway Codes

44% of surveyed Future Makers participants were new to the venue91% of participants were interested in taking part in similar activity

Skills development situated in meaning for staffDesigning for the public, in public

Identify potential champions and spend time with themEncourage champions to champion

Give it a name, a brand and make it a call to actionKeep it fresh

Sarah Younassarah.younas@twmuseums.org.uk