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‘Glasgow Canal Kit’ Helps Community Explore Canal

The Waterways Trust Scotland and Glasgow Museums have joined together to create a ‘Glasgow Canal Kit’ to help people living in the region explore the heritage of the city’s canals.

Steven Cole, the Trust’s Canal Community Liaison Officer, explains: “It can be difficult for some people to get out to see the canal or into a museum to discover its history. With this kit we are able to take this rich and fascinating story into nurseries, care homes and community centres so more people are able to explore their heritage.”

The kit, which can be borrowed from The Open Museum at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, lets users uncover the origins of the Forth & Clyde Canal, its importance to the development of Glasgow’s industry and trade, its decline and recent regeneration in particular its importance as resource for leisure and nature.

Steven continues: “The kit can be used by people of all ages. It could be used by a nursery group to learn and discover more about the wildlife that can be found by the canal. It could be used by a youth group to talk about the changing face of Glasgow. An elderly group could use it to share their memories of playing, working and living by the canal.”

The Glasgow Canal's kit contains museum objects such as a puffer boat model, a kingfisher, butterflies, plant-life specimens, a horseshoe, a windlass, boat tickets and small samples of goods that were both transported on and made along the canals. There are also photographs, a map, suggested walks and a history of the canal.

The Canal Kit is one of a number of handling kits created by The Open Museum. Museum Outreach Assistant, Catherine Laing, said, “Kits can be borrowed for a variety of reasons. They can be used to encourage the sharing of memories and knowledge - many of our kits are borrowed for reminiscence sessions. They can be used to learn something new. They can be used to inspire creative writing, drama or art projects.

“The Open Museum has over 60 different reminiscence and handling kits available to loan by community groups throughout the city. It is a very popular service, and as such we are continually looking to add different kits to our collection. We have borrowers who loan kits from us every week throughout the year.”

Kits can be borrowed for up to a week, and everyone who borrows the kits receives an induction covering the best way to care for and use the museum objects.

To learn more about the kits or to borrow them contact the Open Museum on 0141 276 9368

or email: Openmuseumenquiries@glasgowlife.org.uk

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