A guide to running digital heritage wellbeing projects
A guide to running digital heritage wellbeing projects
By
Wessex Archaeology
Engagement with heritage can have a hugely positive impact on our physical, social and mental wellbeing. Based on their learning and experience during their successful project 'Lost and Found', Wessex Archaeology have created a guide to help you prepare and deliver a digital heritage wellbeing project.
Heritage and Wellbeing
“Heritage draws on issues of local identity and community cohesion by reminding people they are part of a story that began long before they were born and cannot be written for future generations without them” (Newson, 2018).
Engagement with Heritage can have a hugely positive impact on our physical, social and mental wellbeing.
Amongst adults, the key motivation for visiting heritage sites is to spend time with friends and family (42.4%). (DCMS 2019c).
The Lost & Found project took its participants on a journey at a time when leaving your house, travelling and socialising was restricted.
Run throughout 2020 and 2021, it draws on one of Wessex Archaeology's unique assets - an archive of amazing things and experts to interpret them - to enable participants to embark on moments of learning, participation and discovery.
How did the project work?
The key to the Lost & Found project was its simplicity. At the heart of it, the idea was to create an accessible space where individuals felt safe to express themselves and participate in an activity in a way that held meaning for them.
Due to the restrictions in place, individuals joined each session from the comfort of their own homes. Artefacts from our archives acted as a vehicle for sessions, aiding discussion and providing opportunities for participants to share their own stories. Alongside this, there was homework for participants which brought in elements of creativity.
Discover the full story of Lost & Found and the details of the project, or view the culmination of the project in The Museum of Lost and Found.
Run your own heritage wellbeing project
To create a legacy of shared skills for the heritage sector, Wessex Archaeology created this useful guide to help you to prepare and deliver your own project.
The Digital Heritage Lab is a project managed by the Arts Marketing Association (AMA) in partnership with Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy, One Further and the Collections Trust and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the Digital Skills for Heritage initiative. It is a free programme for small and medium sized heritage organisations seeking to develop their digital capabilities and capacity.
