Dynamic Collections

Children enjoying an exhibition at Seven Stories, Newcastle upon Tyne

Important

We are no longer accepting new applications through the Dynamic Collections campaign. Please apply for funding for your project through our open programmes.

Our campaign supported collecting organisations across the UK to become more resilient and open up their collections.

Collections help to bring to life the many stories of people and communities across the UK.

Our Dynamic Collections campaign ran from February 2022 to April 2023 and supported organisations working on engagement, re-interpretation and improving the management of their collections.

The campaign brought together project funding through our open programmes along with digital resources and knowledge sharing. It was designed to address long-term challenges in the sector, many of which were made worse by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It has also helped organisations build on innovative ideas and trends developed over the past few years, particularly in digital engagement.

The campaign also acted on the demand for collections to evolve to meet the changing needs of the communities around them, and to reflect more people's history and experiences.

Although this campaign has now ended, supporting museums, libraries, archives and other organisations to make the most of their collections continues to be important to us. We continue to support collections projects including engagement, reinterpretation and collections management through our open programme. Read more about our plans for the next decade in our Heritage 2033 strategy.

Inclusive, resilient, evolving

A dynamic collection:

is used by, and meaningful to, a wider range of people
enables different perspectives to be heard and a variety of stories to be told
is actively managed and reviewed

Keep in touch

The inside of the PItt Rivers Museum, a large open indoor space with exhibition cases

The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

Blogs

Final weeks to apply for Dynamic Collections grants

Our lead on museums, libraries and archives reflects on our Dynamic Collections campaign as it comes to an end, and our long-term commitment to supporting heritage collections.

17/03/2023

Image of person with long dark hair and dark clothing taking a picture on a mobile of a display of music gig posters at The Museum of Youth Culture

Display of gig posters at The Museum of Youth Culture The Museum of Youth Culture

Stories

Future-proofing museum collections: four Dynamic Collections successes

We look at four projects getting underway in museums, libraries and archives that are working innovatively to make the most of their collections.

An exhibition case at the Museum of Enfield with objects on display

Objects telling the history of Enfield. Credit: Museum of Enfield.

Projects

Your Museum of Enfield

Looking to the future, the Museum of Enfield is investing in a digital collections database and recruiting volunteers to understand and open up access to local heritage.

09/11/2022

Museum of Youth image showing a person looking at a record player in a display

Looking at record player display at Museum of Youth Culture. Credit: Museum of Youth Culture.

Projects

Object Lessons: Youth Culture Takes Shape

This project will create a digital archive of some fascinating cultural objects that ‘celebrate a century of teenage life in Britain’.

13/10/2022

Obby Oss folk culture costume from Minehead festival. Includes multicolour brightly coloured ribbon and materials.

Obby Oss folk culture costume from Minehead festival. Credit: Centre for Fashion Curation

Projects

Making Mischief: the living heritage of folk costume in Britain

This collaborative project aims to document the colourful, community-based celebrations of Britain's folk heritage and bring it to life at two exhibitions.

07/09/2022

Person looking at a brightly coloured globe sculpture

Echoes in the Present, Larry Amponsah in Leeds

Projects

The World Reimagined: Journey of Discovery

A vibrant art education project aiming to transform understanding of the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans and its significant global impact.

24/08/2021

Videos

Dynamic Collections: behind the scenes at Pitt Rivers

How the historic Oxford museum "queered its collections" and changed the way it worked, forever.

a group of people look at objects from a historical archive laid out on a long table

The Natural History Society of Northumbria holds over 16,000 items related to wildlife and nature in the north east of England. Photo: NHSN.

Projects

New Voices for North East Nature

The Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) are collecting and sharing new stories about how a connection with nature has helped people in times of need in the north east of England.

16/08/2022

Image of two people in historic nursing outfits depicting Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale, holding a frame to their faces

People dressed as Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale at the Florence Nightingale Museum. Credit: Florence Nightingale Museum.

Projects

From Scutari Hospital to NHS Nightingale: the British Hotel to Seacole Recovery Centres

Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole were pioneers in British military nursing and social care, following their work in the Crimean War in the 1850s. This project by the Florence Nightingale Museum explores their achievements and legacy.

13/07/2022

Two women and a baby look at museum display

Videos

Dynamic Collections: a visit to Craven Museum

Take a look at how the museum opened up its collections and worked closely with the community.

Videos

Introducing our Dynamic Collections campaign

Meet some of the people working on the campaign and hear how we'll champion collections that are inclusive, evolving and sustainable. Want to know more? Explore our Dynamic Collections hub

Queer Looks exhibition at Brighton Museum. Credit: Tessa Hallmann

Projects

Wear it out: The culture and heritage of LGBTQ+ dress in Sussex, 1917-2017

This cultural heritage project explored how some people from LGBTQ+ communities have historically used clothing to express identity. It focused on Sussex in the time period 1917-2017.

20/12/2016