Dynamic Collections

Dynamic Collections

Children in a museum
Children enjoying an exhibition at Seven Stories, Newcastle upon Tyne

 

Important

We are no longer accepting new applications through the Dynamic Collections campaign. Please apply for funding for your project through our open programmes.

Our campaign supported collecting organisations across the UK to become more resilient and open up their collections.

Collections help to bring to life the many stories of people and communities across the UK.

Our Dynamic Collections campaign ran from February 2022 to April 2023 and supported organisations working on engagement, re-interpretation and improving the management of their collections. 

The campaign brought together project funding through our open programmes along with digital resources and knowledge sharing. It was designed to address long-term challenges in the sector, many of which were made worse by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It has also helped organisations build on innovative ideas and trends developed over the past few years, particularly in digital engagement.

The campaign also acted on the demand for collections to evolve to meet the changing needs of the communities around them, and to reflect more people's history and experiences. 

Although this campaign has now ended, supporting museums, libraries, archives and other organisations to make the most of their collections continues to be important to us. We continue to support collections projects including engagement, reinterpretation and collections management through our open programme. Read more about our plans for the next decade in our Heritage 2033 strategy.

Inclusive, resilient, evolving

A dynamic collection: 

  • is used by, and meaningful to, a wider range of people
  • enables different perspectives to be heard and a variety of stories to be told 
  • is actively managed and reviewed 

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An exhibition case at the Museum of Enfield with objects on display
Objects telling the history of Enfield. Credit: Museum of Enfield.

Projects

Your Museum of Enfield

Looking to the future, the Museum of Enfield is investing in a digital collections database and recruiting volunteers to understand and open up access to local heritage.

Museum of Youth image showing a person looking at a record player in a display
Looking at record player display at Museum of Youth Culture. Credit: Museum of Youth Culture.

Projects

Object Lessons: Youth Culture Takes Shape

This project will create a digital archive of some fascinating cultural objects that ‘celebrate a century of teenage life in Britain’.

Obby Oss folk culture costume from Minehead festival. Includes multicolour brightly coloured ribbon and materials.
Obby Oss folk culture costume from Minehead festival. Credit: Centre for Fashion Curation

Projects

Making Mischief: the living heritage of folk costume in Britain

This collaborative project aims to document the colourful, community-based celebrations of Britain's folk heritage and bring it to life at two exhibitions.

Person looking at a brightly coloured globe sculpture
Echoes in the Present, Larry Amponsah in Leeds

Projects

The World Reimagined: Journey of Discovery

A vibrant art education project aiming to transform understanding of the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans and its significant global impact.

a group of people look at objects from a historical archive laid out on a long table
The Natural History Society of Northumbria holds over 16,000 items related to wildlife and nature in the north east of England. Photo: NHSN.

Projects

New Voices for North East Nature

The Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) are collecting and sharing new stories about how a connection with nature has helped people in times of need in the north east of England.

Image of two people in historic nursing outfits depicting Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale, holding a frame to their faces
People dressed as Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale at the Florence Nightingale Museum. Credit: Florence Nightingale Museum.

Projects

From Scutari Hospital to NHS Nightingale: the British Hotel to Seacole Recovery Centres

Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole were pioneers in British military nursing and social care, following their work in the Crimean War in the 1850s. This project by the Florence Nightingale Museum explores their achievements and legacy.