We're delighted to announce we will be working with Emily Beynon on a project Discovering Disability, supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Emily will be finding and researching those artefacts in our collection relating to disability and invisible illness. Once identified, we aim to update catalogue records (with guidance for future work), create a new display, and form content for webpages so that new and existing audiences can find out about these currently hidden stories in-person and online.
To get involved please fill in our form:- https://medicalmuseum.org.uk/ddform
Enough from us, welcome Emily:-
"I have recently completed my MA in Art History and Curating at the University of Birmingham, researching the collection of death masks at the George Marshall Medical Museum with a specific focus on the death mask of a person with microcephaly for my dissertation. The persisting lack or limitations of displaying disabilities in museums was a constant finding through my research. I am extremely excited to be working with the museum to add to the discourse and display of objects relating to disabilities and the people associated with them in this project.
Through my recent working for the National Trust, I have developed a keen interest in the collections of museum and heritage properties and am looking forward to expanding my knowledge and research skills through this exhibition. I am very excited to be a part of the project looking into invisible disabilities at the George Marshall Medical Museum, exploring objects both on display and in the archives. The project will focus on highlighting objects in the collection that relate to disabilities, especially invisible disabilities to provide a physical space for conversations around disabilities and the stories of people affected in museum settings."
Watch this space for related news and events!