Learning, Access and Interpretation

We specialise in using real museum objects and specimens to create and enable relevant, inspiring and memorable learning experiences for all our visitors.

As a team of professional museum communicators we underpin our work with nationally recognised methods and practices. The Inspiring Learning for Allframework is the bedrock of our mission to deliver an accessible and inclusive service for all.

What do we mean by access?

We workwith a variety of people to achieve intellectual, social, cultural and physical access to our service. One nationally recognised definition of access is

Access - Identifying barriers which prevent participation and developing strategies to dismantle them. These barriers may be:

• Physical
  Are buildings, collections and events physically accessible to everyone?
• Intellectual
  Do they exclude people who do not have extensive background knowledge or people for whom English is an additional language? Can they be used by people with learning disabilities?
• Cultural
  Do we reflect and represent the interests, life experiences and culture of the community served?
• Attitudinal
  Is the environment welcoming, especially to new users? Do staff have an open attitude to diversity? Are we focusing on our users and potential users?
• Financial
  Do any charges made deter people on low incomes? Can families, pensioners, unemployed people afford to use our services?

Definition from the Inspiring Learning for All Framework

What do we mean by learning?
One nationally recognised definition of learning is:
'Learning is a process of active engagement with experience. It is what people do when they want to make sense of the world. It may involve the development or deepening of skills, knowledge, understanding, awareness, values, ideas and feelings, or an increase in the capacity to reflect. Effective learning leads to change, development and the desire to learn more.'

Definition from the Campaign for Learning

Interpreting and displaying Hampshire’s collections
The County is responsible for a huge and diverse range of collections.Many of these are on show in our nineteen museums and historic sites spread throughout Hampshire.

These collections are displayed in a way that is designed to make them as accessible and engaging to our visitors as possible.A programme of museum refurbishment is steadily bringing new approaches to the displays, making it much easier to change and refresh them.Many of our community museums are now providing a special display case for use by local individuals and societies.

Temporary Exhibitions
Our temporary exhibitions ensure there is always something new to see in our galleries. They bring the people of Hampshire the opportunity to see exhibitions which are touring nationallyand give us the opportunity to use objects from our collections which may usually be in store to create new, temporary displays which tour the County.

About half of our community museums have a temporary exhibitions gallery where you can see a range of work – from local artists to artefacts from the British Museum.

Temporary exhibitions also have a range of accompanying activities – from talks to family activities to sessions for schools

Lifelong Learning
The team work across the County to provide services for different audiences, including schools, families and older people, both in our museums and in the wider community.

SEARCH is our hands-on centre for history and natural sciences in Gosport, where we have a range of opportunities for schools as well as special holiday activities and open days for families and reminiscence sessions for older visitors.

Milestones, Hampshire’s living history museum in Basingstoke, and our community museums across the County offer a range of experiences, from sessions for schools to family activities.

Getting the Message
We work hard to make sure Hampshire’s residents and visitors know about our museums, services and programme of events.

We work just as hard listening to the feedback we’re given to ensure we continue to improve our services.

Market research is an important element of our work and we regularly carry out surveys with visitors. You recently told us that you wanted more activities and events for children and families: we now make sure that all our museums offer family programmes during the school holidays.

You also told us that we weren’t spreading the word about what’s on in our museums widely enough. We now produce a guide - What’s On in Museums and Archives - three times a year and keep in touch regularly via email with those of you on our database. Why not join our mailing list.

Training
As leaders of Renaissance South East, we have an important role to play in sharing the very best of what we do with colleagues throughout museums and galleries.

We support the Sharing Skills Staff Placement Scheme as well as offering dedicated courses on reminiscence training and “Going Interactive” our own course for facilitators of school sessions.