Listening to London at the Talking Point Gallery: Multi Sensory Co-Produced Exhibition for Museum of London

During lockdown through a series of online meetings, inclusive researchers with and without learning disabilities and differences, purpleSTARS, were invited to listen to recordings made over the past 80 years from the Museum of London’s oral history collection as part of the Listening To London Community Research Project, supported by The Esmé Fairbairn Collections Fund - delivered by the Museums Association.

Employing purpleSTARS Action Research approach we developed a unique process we named 'Goggleboxing' recording ourselves listening to and discussing the oral histories of past Londoners. Through this process we collaborated with curators and experts at the Museum of London to develop, design and co-produce a multi-sensory exhibition for the Museum of Londons Talking Point Gallery.The exhibition featured objects from the museum collection combined with sensory elements including sounds, video projection loops, tactile opportunities and smells, inviting visitors to reflect on their own experiences of the capital. purpleSTARS research and exhibition has significant influence on the Museum of Londons approach to inclusive multi-sensory engagement for the New Museum of London at West Smithfield.