Happy Museum thematic case studyEngaging emotions to promote wellbeing and build resilience

Happy Museum thematic case study: Engaging emotions to promote wellbeing and build resilience 2

ContentsIntroduction and relevance 2

About our Story for Change 3

About this case study 4

1. Sharing a sustainable wellbeing vision 5

2. Plan time, resources and scope 7

3. Use playfulness, creativity, and aesthetics to engage the senses 8

4. Be a good host, broker relationships 10

5. Making an impact 11

6. More about the Happy Museum ‘Story of Change’ tool 13

This case study looks at how deliberately seeking to engage emotions can help to promote wellbeing in audiences and staff, and also build resilience in organisations.

This case study is relevant to:

• Seniormanagementteams

• Learningandcommunityengagementteams

• Curators

Happy Museum thematic case study: Engaging emotions to promote wellbeing and build resilience 3

About our Story of Change Since2008,theHappyMuseumprojecthasbeentestingasetofworkingprinciplesrelatedtowellbeingthroughsmallcommissionedprojects.Thefundedprojectsuseda‘StoryofChange’tooltodefinetheirsustainablewellbeingvisionfortheprojectandtoplantheroutetoachievethatvision.StoryofChangeisalsoknownasTheoryofChange;LogicModellingisasimilarapproach.Usingastoryofchangechallenges‘businessasusual’thinkingbystartingwiththe

‘why?’–theoverallpurposeofaproject–andworkingbackwards.Movingtoafocusonwellbeingandsustainabilityisnotsomethingthatcanbeplannedandexecutedinthewayaconstructionprojectcanbe.Thinkingaboutaconvincingnarrativethatwilltakeusinthatdirectionandsharingithelpseveryonetoalignaroundthenewdirection.

More about our Story of Change can be found on page 13 and online here

Principles How? The ‘drivers’ of success

What? The activity you deliver

Why? The difference we want to make

•Measurewhatmatters

•Beanactivecitizen

•Pursuemutualrelationships

•Createtheconditionsforwellbeing

•Learnforresilience

•Valuetheenvironmentandbeastewardofthefutureaswellasthepast

HowyougoaboutsettingupaHappyMuseumapproach:thedriversforchange,commitments,setupandinvestmentsthatunderpintheapproach.

Theactivityyoudeliver,workinginternallyand/orexternally,inpartnershipwithstaff,volunteers,participantsandaudience.

Thisisthereasonwe’rehere,theoutcomesaHappyMuseumcanachieve.Thedifferencewemaketoeveryone,staff,volunteers,participantsandaudience.

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About this case study ThiscasestudyanalysesHappyMuseumfundedprojectsonthethemeofengagingemotions(includingdifficultemotions)–notonlystrategiesaimedataudiencesandvisitorsbutalsointernaleffortsaimedatstaffandorganisationalculture.Ourtheoryisthatdeliberatelyengagingemotions(asdistinctfromthemorecommonmuseumapproachofengagingtheintellect)canhelptopromotewellbeing

inaudiencesandstaff,andalsobuildresilienceinorganisations.Focusingondifferentlearningstyles,asmuseumsareveryusedtodoing,alsoleadstoanemphasisonphysicalactivity,onmakingandonaesthetics.Puttingthetwotogethermakesakindof‘activestewardship’,whichisaboutcaringforpeopleandplanetaswellascollectionsandbuildings,butwhichisalsoproactiveratherthanpassive.

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1. Sharing a sustainable wellbeing vision

The Happy Museums investigated how a vision about sustainable wellbeing can be applied to what is unique about museums – their collections.

Forinstance,theMuseum of East Anglian LifeinSuffolkmadethewellbeinglinkbetweenobjectsandpeopleexplicitwithaseriesofexhibitionscomparingchildren’swellbeinginVictoriantimeswithtoday.Oneoftheexhibitions–HappyDays–involved7and8yearoldsfromalocalprimaryschooldesigningaspecialhappydayforthemselvesandforaVictorianchildbasedaroundobjects–theonestheyhadaswellasthemuseum’sowncollectionofVictorian’schildren’spossessions.Thechildrenchoseobjectsfortheirdayandwroteabouthowtheyfelt

aboutthem.Fortheirownhappyday,thechildrenoverwhelminglychoseobjectsthatrepresentedrelationships–withfamilyandfriends–andtimespentplayingoutdoors.TheonestheychoseforVictorianchildrencentredonfoodandfestivities.

Read our case study on the Museum of East Anglian Life here

FortheirHappyMuseumProject,theImperial War Museum NorthinStretford,Manchester,decidedtotestdifferentapproachestoobjecthandlingbyvisitors.Thispieceofactionresearchwaslinkedtoawiderefforttore-imaginethemuseum’scorepurposeandfunction.Themuseumused–andcontinuestouse–thestoryofchangetooltodevelopawellbeingvision,planandchartprogress.Theprojectwasapieceofactionresearchtestingsixapproachestoobjecthandling(handlingbeingamoredirectroutetothesensesthanintepretation)toexploretheirimpactonwellbeingandcivicengagement.“Usingveteranstosupportobjecthandling…wasthemostsuccessfulapproachwetested,”saysHeadofExhibitionsZoeDunbar.“Thishighlightedtoustheimportanceoffirst-handoreye-witnesstestimonytothe

“This highlighted to us the importance of first-hand or eye-witness testimony.”

Zoe Dunbar, Imperial War Museum North

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experienceonsiteandwehavebuiltuponthissincetheprojectcompleted.Objecthandlingstillformsastrongpartofwhatwedoandwenowhaveobjecthandlingtrolliesmannedbyourveteransandvolunteers.”

Read our case study on the Imperial War Museum North here

AttheBeaney Housetheyusedthemuseumbuildingandit’scollectionstoengageitscommunitieswiththeirownwellbeing.250‘HappinessInvestigators’and‘CulturalDoctors’,including120schoolchildren,wereinvitedtoinvestigatethemuseum’scollections,libraryandheritage.Thesewerethenmadeinto‘happinessprescriptions’whichwereissuedtovisitorsinafull-sizedmodelApothecarymadeentirelyfrompaper.Theprojectexploredhowcontactwithculturalexperiencescankickstarthealthierandhappiercommunities.

Read our case study on the Beaney here

AnewcommunitydevelopedgalleryatGodalming Museumwasusedtoshowthatconversationsaboutsustainabilitywerenotnew–theyhadalongheritageandwerepartofthetown’songoingstory.AquotefromtheDaily Telegraphin1881wasfeatured:“WeshallnotwantthestokerandcolliersomuchifonlytheexamplesetbythegoodpeopleofGodalmingbefollowed.Thewaterfalls,millheadsandriverswillquietlybemakingallourelectricitybydayandweshallbeconsumingitaseasilyatnight,orthewindsandtideswillbemadetolabourforus.Natureinallhervariedmoodswillbecalledintohelpusfightagainstthedark,andweshallbeeventuallytoturnnightintodaybythebrightlampswhichNatureherselfkindlesforus.”

Read our case study on Godalming Museum here

“Conversations about sustainability were not new – they had a long heritage.”

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2. Plan time, resources and scope

For some of the museums and galleries, the question of how to improve wellbeing by engaging emotions led to a re-evaluation of the resources available to them. Several museums focused their Happy Museum projects on underused outdoor space – in the process creating a wellbeing link with the environment.

TheBilston Craft GalleryinWolverhamptonaddedoutdoorplaytoitsexistingplayandcraftoffer,intheprocessopeningupnewpossibilitiesforoutreach.CraftexpertswererecruitedtotrainBilstonstafftomakeoutdoorplayobjectsandthespacewasimprovedanddeveloped–thespacewasdevelopedandtestedinpartnershipwasdevelopedwithalocalschool.“Wediscoveredthatoutdoorworkisaverydifferentthingfromindoorcraftplay,”saysJackShuttleworthofBilstonCraftplay.“Indoors,thechildrentendtositdown;outdoorstheydon’tstopmoving.Theschoolgroupmadethreevisitsandweputlessmaterialouteachtime,aswefounditwasn’tneeded.”Bilstonisnowofferingterm-timepackagesoffivesessionsofoutdoorplayandcraftstolocalschools.ThegalleryisdevelopingapopupcraftspacetobringcraftplaytoparksandopenspacesinandaroundWolverhampton.

Read our case study on Bilston Craftplay here

Inanotherapproachtoengagingemotions,theShakespeare Birthplace TrustinStratfordonAvonwantedtobuildrelationshipswiththelocalcommunityandmakethegardensaplaceforrepeatlocalvisits.TheTrustdecidedto‘reinvent’thegarden,orchardandwoodlandofAnneHathaway’scottageforlocalresidents,throughtwoinstallationsandacommunityplantingsession.Theprojectinvolvedatouchsensitive‘SingingTree’,thecommissionofapieceofmusicforvisitorstoplay,andaplantingbyvolunteersofthousandsofbluebellsandsnow-drops.Itculminatedinacommunityparty.Avisitorsaid:“Thisisabeautifulpieceofworkandthat’scomingfromsomeonethatdoesn’tlikeShakespeare.ButthewhisperedprosecombinedwiththemagicofPeter’sviolinissomethingveryspecial.Itputsyouinabetterplaceforawhile.”TheprojectteamreportsthatthingsarechangingattheTrustandnow“wellbeingisalegitimateaimforstaffandvisitorsalike.”

“Indoors, the children tend to sit down; outdoors they don’t stop moving.”

Jack Shuttleworth, Bilston Craftplay

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3. Use playfulness, creativity and aesthetics to engage the senses

Other museums and galleries were more focused on expanding the scope of their offer, beyond a focus on learning to include focusing on the senses, physical and fun – a shift in mode of appeal from head to heart.

Manchester Museumhasatraditionofplayfulness,andthroughtwoHappyMuseumprojects,themuseumhastriedtodevelop,spreadandembedplayfulness.Thefirstprojecttrainedthemuseum’svisitorteamtodeveloptheirunderstandingofplayandreflectiontechniques–andtosupportchild-ledplaysessions.Inthesecondproject,themuseumdevelopedRulesforaPlayfulMuseum,aplayfulandaccessiblehandbooktocapturethelearningandexperienceoftheirexperimentsinplayfulness.Themuseumnowoffersplayfuldaysandplayfulnessfeatures

inmuseumstrategydocumentsandininductionmaterials.Evaluationevidencefollowingtherulebookprojectshowedthatplayfulbehaviourfromstaffandvisitorshasincreased.ForprojectconsultantCharlotteDerry,developingtherulebookhas“reallyhelpedthemuseumhaveevenmoreconfidence.Itishelpingtoembedplay,whichisaquiteephemeral,fleetingthing.Havingthishandbookunderpinsgreatpracticemakingitsomethingconcrete–playfulnessispartofwhatstaffdonow.”

Read all about the Playful Museum here

Torquay Museumisanaturalhistorymuseumandwantedtoreachanew14-18yearagerangewithaprojectfocusingontheenvironment.Theprojectwaslinkedtoawidergoaltomakethemuseumasustainabilitycentre.Themuseumteamranassembliesintwosecondaryschoolsfollowedbysevenyoungpeople’sworkshops.Onekeytothesuccessoftheprojectwasthefocuson

“Playfulness is part of what staff do now.”

Charlotte Derry, project consultant

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enjoymentoftheprocess–forthestaffleadingtheworkshopsaswellasfortheyoungpeopletakingpart.Theyoungpeoplewereveryengagedanddevisedwittyandresourcefulmaterialsonfacingthechallengesofclimatechange.

Fromtheoutset,theStory MuseuminOxfordhasputengagingemotionsisattheheartofeverythingitdoes.TheHappyMuseumprojectplayedaroleindefiningthemuseum’sethosandcorevision.Themuseumhassoughttoengagetheemotionsofvisitorsthroughtheuseofspace,theuseofobjects,andtheuseofaesthetics.Someexhibitsallowvisitorstotielabelswiththeirownthoughtsandcommentsonandleavethem.“Thisissomethingwehaveincorporatedthroughoutthebuilding,allowingforlivingconversationswithourvisitors.”Wellbeinghasexplicitlyinformedthedesignofexhibitionsandtheappointmentofatheatredesignerhelpedtocreatethe

‘deephumaninterconnections’andemotionallyintelligentspacestheStoryMuseumwereaimingfor.Evaluationshowsthatvisitorsrespondtothiswithmanysayingtheirvisitwas‘anemotionallysatisfying’experience.Themuseum’sfirstexhibition–‘OtherWorlds’–hadaremarkablelevelofengagement,with6,000writtencontributionsin18days.

Read our case study on the Story Museum here

TheHappyMuseumprojectatWoodhorn Museumledtotheappointmentofacomedianinresidencewithafocusonwellbeing.Aswellassessionsaimedatvisitors,therewereseveral‘meetthecomedian’trainingsessionsofferedtostaff.Thesessionshelpedbreakdownstaffsilos.Thecomedianprojectwaswidelypublicisedandhelpedattractnewaudiencestothemuseum.

“Visitors respond to this with many saying their visit was ‘an emotionally satisfying’ experience.”

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4. Be a good host, broker relationships

Engaging the emotions of audiences and local communities can be achieved by opening up the typical museum-to-visitor relationship.

Museumsandgalleriesshouldactasgoodhoststotheiraudiencesandcommunities,offeringthingslikewelcomingspace,foodanddrink.Asgoodhosts,theycanpayattentiontoparticularneedsandtheycanalsobrokerrelationshipsbetweentheir‘guests’.

AtThe LightboxinWoking,artwasusedtoengagetheemotionsofgroupofpeoplewithmentalhealthissues.Duringthegallery’s‘LandscapesoftheMind’project,thenineparticipantsselectedinspirationalartworksfromthecollectionandworkedwithartiststocreatetheirownworks.Theparticipantscuratedanexhibitionofbothbodiesofworkandtheprojectfinishedwithaconferenceon‘theartofwellbeing’.TheLightboxhassincedevelopeditsroleasahostandbrokerwithanumberofcollaborativecommunityprojects:Skyscapesinvolvesadultswithlearningdifficultiesworkingwithartistsanddrawingonthecollectionforinspiration.Olderpeopleattwocarecentresaretakingpartin‘Stitchingyourmemories’.AnintergenerationalprojectinvolvingWoking’sMuslimcommunityandtheShahJehanMosquewillleadtothecreationofaSufipoetrysoundscape.Anenvironmental

sustainabilityprojectcalled‘WasteNot…’askedlocalpeopletoexhibitobjectstheyhavebeenkeepingandrepairingratherthanreplacing.

Read our case study on The Lightbox here

Gwynedd Museum and Art GalleryinBangorwantedtohostanewkindofmuseumexperiencebyencouragingpeopletotalkandlisteninthegalleries.ThroughapartnershipwithOxfordInternetInstitute(OII)andtheWalesCentreforBehaviourChange,Gwynedddevelopedasoftwareappthatallowedvisitorstorecordtheirreactionstoworksofartandtoplaybackthereactionsofothers.Called‘What’syourstory?’theprojectaimedtoboostengagementandparticipation,encouragingmoreextrovertbehaviourintheexhibitionspace.Nudgetechniqueswereusedtodrawpeopletorecordingpointsandtobeboldinsharingtheirresponsesandanarttherapisttestedtheapptousewithherclients.

Read our case study on Gwynedd Museum here

“As good hosts, they can pay attention to particular needs and they can also broker relationships between their ‘guests’.”

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5. Making an impactEfforts to engage emotions, to speak to the heart rather than the head, can lead to people interacting more, feeling happy, satisfied and more worthwhile. In some museums, this enabled them to make more of a difference in their work with people with particular needs. In other museums, it led to a greater environmental awareness, as much through noticing surroundings as through awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability.

AtAbergavenny Museum,HappyMuseumfundingwasusedtotestanewapproachtoco-curationwithlocalvulnerableyoungpeople.Twocraftspeopleledworkshopsinweavingwitheightyoungcarersandbee-keepingwith20primarychildrenwithspecialneeds.

Theworkshopstookplacebothinsidethemuseumandoutdoors.Bothgroups,schoolchildrenandyoungcarers,madereferencetotheimmersiveexperienceoftheactivities.Onparticipantreferredtothe“busywithyourhandsthing”–whichisawayofdescribing‘flow’,whichresearcherMihályCsíkszentmihályidescribedasamentalstateinwhichapersonisfullyimmersedin‘energisedfocus’.Asoneyoungcarerputit:“EverytimeIwenthome[afterweaving]Iwaschilledout.IwenthomeandhadashowerandIwashappy.”Anothersaid:“I’msochilledhere.It’stheatmospherehere,theconcentratingondoingsomething,morethanthepeople.”Staffnoticedthesameexperiencewiththeyoungerchildrenwhobuiltstoopsforbee-keeping,describingthemas“gripped”bytheactivity.

Read our case study on Abergavenny Museum here

“I’m so chilled here. It’s the atmosphere here, the concentrating on doing something.”

Young carer

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Derby Museums’Re:Makeprojectfoundthattheactofmakingthingsimprovedpeopleswellbeing.TheprojectattheSilkMillMuseuminvitedaudiencestobecomeproducersandmakers,designingandbuildingtherefurbishedmuseum’sfixturesandfittings,withhelpfrom‘makers-in-residence’.Since2012,morethan200localpeoplehavebeeninvolvedindesigningandmakingfurniture,displaystandsandfittings.Makingisnowattheheartofthemuseum,whichhasthreeworkshopspacesofferingcreativeandpracticalactivitiesforvisitors.Themuseumrunsshortsessionsandweekendcourses–andalsohostslarger‘makerfairs’.ThroughapartnershipwiththeUniversityofDerby,thephysiologicalimpactoftheactivityofmakingwasmeasured–revealingasmallbutsignificantdropinthelevelofstresshormonecortisolinthosetakingpartinmakingactivities.Thelearningfromtheprojecthas

informedtherestructuringoftheDerbyMuseumsstaffteamandtheproject’sapproachtoco-productionhasbeenrolledouttotheothermuseums.ARe:Make2projecthasledtoanaturegallerybeingco-createdbylocalpeopleandthemuseumteam.

Read our case study on Derby Museums here

AtKirkstall Abbey Museum,HappyMuseumfundingwasusedtodevelopactivestewardshipthrougharangeofcommunityprojects.Theactivitiesemphasisedthespiritual,environmental,edibleandphysical.Somewereheldinalocalchildren’scentre.WordofmouthbroughtlargenumberstoanEasterseedplantingsession.Anadultwithlearningdifficultieswasamongthosethattookpart.Asaresultshetookonplantingoneoftheflowerbedathercarehome.

“The activities emphasised the spiritual, environmental, edible and physical.”

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6. More about the Happy Museum’s ‘Story of Change’ tool

The projects funded by the Happy Museum project used a ‘Story of Change’ tool to define their vision for the project and to plan the route to achieve that vision.

Thepurposeofthistool(whichissimilartotheoryofchange,orlogicmodelling)istomakesurewestartbyfocusingonthedifferencewewanttomakeratherthanontheactivitieswemayusetoachievethoseends.UsingaStoryofChangechallenges‘businessasusual’thinkingbystartingwiththeoverallpurposeandworkingbackwards.Theprocessof‘measuringwhatmatters’canthen

startattheplanningstage–bydefiningthesuccessfactorsforaproject,astrategyorachangeofdirection.Thetoolisalsovaluableforhelpingtocommunicateavisiontostaff,volunteersandallstakeholders,aswellasthethinkingthatunderpinsit.

Read more about the Story of Change tool

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SeebelowforourownStoryofChangewhichshowssuccessfactorsforHappyMuseums.Anonline versioncontainslinkstofurthercasestudiesandresources.

Principles How? Drivers

What? Delivery

Why? Difference we make

Measurewhatmatters

Shareawellbeingvision

ShareaStoryofChange

Usetime,resourcesandscopecreatively

Measurewhatmatterstopeople

Tore-thinkwhatmatters

Beanactivecitizen Encourageactiveengagement

Anticipatechallengeandchange

Workexperimentally

Useeveryone’spotential

Tocreatehappy,resilientpeople

Pursuemutualrelationships

Shareownership

Ensuremutualbenefit

Workacrosshierarchiesandteams

Tocreatehappy,resilientteams

Allofwhichhelpre-imaginemuseumsforbettercommunityLIFE*

Createtheconditionsforwellbeing

Learnforresilience

Considerplayfullness,creativity,activityandaesthetics

Beagoodhost

Brokerrelationships

Communitiesare:

•Learning

•Interacting

•Feelinghappy,satisfiedandworthwhile

•Environmentallyaware

Valuetheenvironmentandbeastewardofthefutureaswellasthepast

Considerthesocialandfinancialbenefitsofbeinggreen

Usethemuseum’suniqueresources.

Leadbyexample:careofpeople,placeandplanet

*TheHappyMuseumProjectisconductinganationalLIFEsurvey,whereLIFE=Learning,Interactionswithothers,Feelingsandemotions,andEnvironmentalawareness.More:www.happymuseumproject.org