Tours and learning

Leicester Museum & Galleries can host a welcome visit to any of our museums with a general tour or an in-depth look at one of our exhibitions, a close look at some of our objects and maybe an interactive workshop.

The Community Engagement Team aim to provide inspiring learning for all:

• Handling objects helps people to learn about their own heritage and traditions as well as understanding those of other communities. Discovering the things we share in common with our neighbours helps to build tolerance and empathy with others.
• Exploring objects is inspiring and fun! Involvement in art, heritage and culture enriches our lives. Visiting museums and galleries with our team brings the exhibitions and objects alive!
• Craft sessions teach people new skills and help to develop self-confidence and creativity.
• Reminiscence work helps people to think about the past and to express themselves and their feelings.

All of these encourage a positive, culturally diverse Leicester identity which includes all of our citizens, from the elderly to youth, from those with disabilities to the able bodied; we all have things to contribute to a strong and vibrant Leicester.

Groups we work with

• Community organisations
• Young mums and children
• Family learning groups
• Home schooled groups
• Parents and community groups in schools
• Faith groups
• Learning disability groups
• Physical disability groups
• Refugee and asylum seeker groups
• Youth clubs
• Elderly groups

Groups the Community Engagement Team work with enjoy the rich learning and fun opportunities arts and museums have to offer.

We invite groups to work with us on exciting projects such as helping us add to community exhibitions, plan and deliver events to celebrate community festivals and to create local exhibitions in community venues.

Group Projects

Leicester Museums & Galleries are often able to invite groups to take part in longer-term projects. These may be helping to develop an exhibition – becoming community curators by working with us to identify themes, choose objects, borrow items from the local community, and telling the stories of the objects and themes in ways that will be interesting and fun for our audiences.

Contact our Community Engagement Team by email to arrange an exhibition or museum tour, to take part in a workshop or to work with us on a project.

Tours of the Ancient Egypt galleries

Many community groups have enjoyed an in-depth tour of the Ancient Egypt exhibition at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, learning about life and death in Ancient Egypt through exploring everyday objects on display. On a tour for Somali ladies we learned that the large 3,000 year-old clay pots are the same as those used today in villages in Somalia. We are not always the experts - sometimes museums can learn from the groups we work with!

The Pukaar group is a local group of talented artists, creative women whose physical disabilities do not stop them from taking full advantage of the opportunities life offers. Here they are enjoying discovering about life in Ancient Egypt before taking part in art workshops inspired by the exhibition.

Visiting the Egyptian galleries at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

Women Trailblazers Exhibition

Inspired by the trailblazing women who served in the first world war and campaigned to gain the vote for women, Leicester Museums & Galleries Community Engagement Team worked with fourteen community groups to explore what qualities make a ‘trailblazer’.

Each group chose an inspiring woman from their community who has made a real difference for them today, and created a collaborative collage poster to celebrate them. These were printed as part of the national WWI Trailblazers project led by the Big Ideas Company, and used to create an exhibition which now tours community venues in Leicester.

Women Trailblazers

Elvie Morton, founder of Leicester Caribbean Carnival chosen by West Indian Senior Citizens Project

Jawaahir Daahir, activitst and Women’s rights campaigner, chosen by women at Leicester Somali Development Centre

Miss India, ‘profound deafness doesn’t prevent you from achieving your dreams’, chosen by the Deaf Friends Group