Museums across North East Wales have joined together in a project to ensure that the heritage of the region is well represented on the People’s Collection Wales.
Launched a year ago, and funded by the Welsh Government, People’s Collection Wales promises new ways to explore, share and engage with Welsh history and culture. Welsh museums currently hold around three million artefacts, but only have space to display a fraction of these at any one time. It is still very early days for People’s Collection Wales but already there are nearly 33,000 objects and images online that can be explored by theme, location, date, places and events.
The North East Wales project involves the heritage services of Wrexham; Denbighshire and Flintshire museums services; and Llangollen museum. It has been funded by the Welsh Government through CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales.
With this programme we hope to add a significant number of items to the People’s Collection, focussed on a number of different themes relevant to North East Wales. The themes initially selected are the Romans; Mining and Quarrying; National Eisteddfodau; Potteries; Breweries; Brick and Tile Manufacturing; Printing and Publishing; Sporting Heritage; Farming and Agriculture; Railways; and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
However, the People’s Collection is not just a showcase for museum collections – ordinary people’s stories and objects are key to the success of the project. As part of the programme, we will be running a number of training sessions to show interested groups how you can become involved. You can tell us about any items that you may have, relevant to the themes that we have chosen, but we will also be showing you how you can upload your own items to the People’s Collection and help to tell the different stories of North East Wales.
Visit Wales and the Ramblers Association have also been involved with the People’s Collection and the work done under this programme, and other contributions to the website, are expected to have a positive effect on tourism in North East Wales.
Local company Thomas Crane Associates has been chosen to co-ordinate the programme, which will run until the end of March 2012.
If you want to find out more or come to one of the training days, to find out how you can add your items to the People’s Collection, please contact either David Crane (07852 726934: [email protected]) or Samantha Colclough (07932 030515: [email protected] ).
You can also visit the website: www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk
