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RMN’22 – Digging Deeper: Representing Gypsy, Roma and Travelling Communities in Rural Museums

Gypsies are England’s oldest minority: marginalised but never invisible. That’s a challenge for museum displays, because although non-Gypsies have been representing the Romany for centuries, this was very different from the way that people in the community portray themselves. The … Continue reading

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RMN’22 – Virtual Volunteering

For most of us, our work would not be possible without brilliant volunteers. They tend to plants and plots, muck out stables, provide hands-on opportunities with collections, welcome visitors, research and catalogue collections, and support and sustain almost every aspect … Continue reading

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RMN’22 – Digging Deeper: Telling the Stories of Rural LGBTQ+ Lives

In March 2022, we were delighted to welcome Norena Shopland back to the Rural Museums Network to build upon some of the discussions begun during our Telling the Stories of Rural LGBTQ+ Lives seminar. Norena explored in depth how rural … Continue reading

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Draft Animals in the Past, Present and Future

We’re delighted to share news from our friends at AIMA, the International Association of Agricultural Museums. In 2021, AIMA President Claus Kropp co-ordinated an international, digital conference which saw participants from all over the world discussing the history, preservation, training … Continue reading

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So, you’ve joined the Network but why not go the whole hog?

The Rural Museums Network is run by a dedicated committee of volunteers who support members, organise events and initiate projects. The committee are always keen to ensure that they represent the network as a whole – in terms of the … Continue reading

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RMN’21: Telling the Stories of Rural LGBTQ+ Lives

Our speakers for the final Rural Voices panel session in 2021 were specialists in developing and undertaking new research to uncover and make accessible queer rural stories. Norena Shopland discussed how rural heritage organisations can utilise her research to showcase … Continue reading

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RMN’21: Decolonising Rural Collections

In the second of our Rural Voices Seminar sessions from 2021, we introduced participants to what decolonisation might mean for their organisations and working practices. Until recently, colonial legacies had not been central to rural history, heritage, or museology but … Continue reading

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RMN’21: Representing Gypsy, Roma and Travelling Communities in Rural Museums

In the autumn of 2021, the Rural Museums Network went online once more with a new Seminar Series – tailoring contemporary thinking and practice to those who work with rural life collections, providing practical suggestions and support. Monthly tea break … Continue reading

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Looking back: Why Black Lives Matter in the British Countryside

Our final speaker, Louisa Adjoa Parker, closed our 2020 Conference by encouraging delegates to understand what they can do to support Black Lives Matter in a rural context. A writer and researcher from South West England, she focused on the … Continue reading

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Looking back: Coronavirus in the Countryside – Rural Museums’ Responses to Covid-19 and Lockdown

As we continue our series of posts, looking back on our October 2020 Conference sessions, this event explored three case studies that supported and inspired delegates to manage the changes wrought by Covid-19 on our day to day practice. Chris … Continue reading

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