A new community project at North Hertfordshire Museum in Hitchin is inviting local residents to step behind the scenes and help uncover the untold stories within the museum's collection.

The initiative, called 'Connecting Collections,' aims to explore shared histories and shine a light on underrepresented communities by involving residents directly in the research process.

The museum is particularly keen to work with people from Global Majority backgrounds — meaning those who identify as Black, African, Asian, Brown, mixed-heritage, are indigenous to the global south, or from communities often described as ethnic minorities — and with heritage linked to countries with a colonial past.

Participants, who must be aged 18 or over, will take part in ten sessions between November 2025 and March 2026, supported by museum staff. Those selected will receive vouchers as reimbursement for their time.

Working together, the group will:

• Examine historic collections from around the world
• Investigate potential cases of unethical acquisition
• Uncover local and global stories from underrepresented communities

The project has been made possible thanks to funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, managed by the Museums Association to help museums use their collections for social impact.

Cllr Tamsin Thomas, Executive Member for Enterprise at North Herts Council, said: "We are thrilled to launch our Connecting Collections project, all made possible by grant funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. As a council, we're excited that North Hertfordshire Museum and participants from our local community will work together to help us better understand our fantastic museum collection, and we look forward to seeing what they find."

Applications are open until Sunday 26 October, though the museum may close them early if interest is high.

For more information or to apply, visit northhertsmuseum.org/connectingcollections or call 01462 474 272.

📍 North Herts Museum is on Brand Street, Hitchin (SG5 1JE) and is open Tuesday to Saturday (10.30am–4.30pm) and Sundays (11am–3pm). Admission is free and visitors can enjoy refreshments at the popular museum café.

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