Shaping the Past, Building the Future

Tuesday 22 April, 5-7pm

The Cayley Room, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street London W1B 2HW

Refreshments will be provided

Keynote speaker

Rachel F. Seidman, Curator, Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum

Roundtable Speakers

Denize Ledeatte, Director, National Windrush Museum

Mona Jamil, Museum Manager, Migration Museum

Dr Ailsa Peate, Lecturer in Latin American and Museum Studies, University of Westminster

Chairs

Dr Lucy Bond, Reader in Literature and Memory Studies, University of Westminster

Dr Alexander Hensby, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Kent

Event summary

In an era of social and political transformation, what are the opportunities and challenges for new museums seeking to highlight untold stories from different community groups? This roundtable of curators, heritage professionals, and academics from the UK and US will examine the dynamics of museum-making in today’s shifting cultural landscapes.

The panel will explore the role of heritage storytelling in constructing new narratives about the past. In so doing, we ask:

• How can new museums remain relevant and responsive to shifting public expectations?
• What innovative models of curation are emerging to ensure institutional resilience, sustainability, and long-term impact?
• What function can museums play in fostering civic action and community engagement - and what are the tensions between national and community-driven storytelling?
• What roles do museums play as leaders in research and knowledge exchange?

This event is sponsored by the Westminster-Smithsonian Partnership Development Fund. It is jointly organised by the Institute of Modern and Contemporary Culture, University of Westminster, and the Centre for the Study of Social and Political Movements, University of Kent.