Mansfield Museum takes exhibitions on tour of care homes

Some of the Forgotten Frames posters displayed in the court yard area at Vale Court

The Mansfield District Council venue was awarded £1,000 to tour a Pop-Up Museum from the Persimmon Homes Community Champions scheme.

Back in February 2020, Mansfield Museum launched a brand new exhibition called ‘Forgotten Frames.’

Due to lockdown this fascinating exhibition was only open to visitors in the venue for a few weeks so plans changed and museum staff developed a project to take the exhibition to those acutely affected by Covid-19, the over 70s and vulnerable adults within ten local venues.

Designed to spark memories of childhood through portraits and photography of ‘Mansfield In the Past’, the exhibition of large printed artworks and prints is currently visiting each selected venue and open spaces like gardens, car parks and courtyards for ten days. It aims to spark new conversations and reach vulnerable and isolated people over the age of 70, cut off from the world due to Covid-19.

Sites that the exhibition has already visited are Poppyfields, Vale Court and Town View.

Sian Booth, cultural services manager said: “We’re so thrilled that the Forgotten Frames pop up exhibition has been received so well. It’s a delight to see they joy on residents faces, full of intrigue and wonder as we set the exhibition up.

“As part of our Health and Wellbeing priorities the museum have held Reminiscence Tea Rooms for families and individuals living with dementia. Reminiscence therapies such as the touring materials and activity boxes are vital to stimulate those cherished memories a loved one has so we are very grateful to Persimmon Homes for helping to make this possible.”

The hope is that by reaching out to the over 70s community including people living with dementia and their carers, vulnerable people can feel confident to participate in activities which resonate with their lived experience during the pandemic. The exhibition is accompanied by a resource box that includes art materials, activity booklets and a scrapbook to document memories.

Neil Follows, managing director at Persimmon Homes Nottingham, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring the history of Mansfield to the wider community and support Mansfield Museum’s dementia support programme.”