Open Museum is an outreach service run by Glasgow Museums in Scotland. They work in partnership with community groups across the city to create handling boxes, reminiscence kits, travelling exhibitions, community venue displays and exhibitions inspired by Glasgow’s collections.

One of their most powerful tools are the Reminiscence Kits on offer through Open Museum to facilitate conversations and look back on times past. Kits focus on specific decades while covering themes from everyday life – Shipbuilding, A night out, Looking good, Tenement life, A night in, The 70s, Holidays, Sports, Shopping…

The Museum collections provide photos and real memorabilia – washboards, vintage fashion accessories, vinyl LPs (including record player) marbles and nappy supplies as talking pieces. What’s great is that the museum provides the structure and you provide the story. Being able to hold the objects from times past is a powerful trigger for bringing up memories and making connections. The kits purposely design experiences meant to make history exciting and personal.

You can find out more about the programme, browse the MUCH longer kit list, and even see the itemized inventory of what’s inside – here.