Exeter Time Trails

Abstract

Time Trails is a collaboration between Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM), 1010 Media, University of Exeter, and the Exeter City FC Supporters’ Trust (2013). The project researched the use of trails as a means to encounter and respond to RAMM's collections outside the museum in conjunction with content and branding provided by other partners, most prominently Exeter City FC Supporters’ Trust. Drawing on research into trails (Ingold 2000 and 2007) and into trajectories as a way of designing mixed reality environments (Benford and Giannachi 2011), and focussing in particular on the orchestration of time, space, and roles, Time Trails investigated the curation of encounters with hybrid collections and archives via the creation of a number of chronological trails (e.g. Roman, Tudor, World War 2) and thematic trails (e.g. health and sport) that lead visitors through the city of Exeter. These trails can be further annotated by users via social media. Time Trails explored how users benefit from engaging creatively with hybrid collections outside the museum; how trails can be used by schools, the tourist industry, and local communities to raise cultural awareness and bring together diverse user groups. The framework developed from this project identifies the benefits of creative experiences of museum collections outside the museum, allowing organisations to engage audiences with objects which are not on display; learn how to stimulate creativity, reflection and self-documentation and facilitate free-style mobile learning in mixed reality environments; increase audience reach with social media to encourage participation among users who do not habitually visit museums; reconnect objects with the locations they were originally associated with and relate locations to different values; promote well-being by encouraging walking and collaborating with organisations that work with cultural tourists and local communities, including children who are at risk of disengaging from education.