The Foxton project is part of our Community Curators in Museums programme. It was designed to make history more engaging and hands-on; this initiative is part of Culture Leicestershire’s ongoing mission to inspire communities through museums, heritage, and learning.
Foxton Creates is all about giving children a voice in shaping their museum experiences. I started off engaging with four local schools—Ridgeway Primary Academy in Market Harborough, Thythorn Field Primary School in Wigston, Brocks Hill Primary School in Oadby, and Foxton Primary School in Foxton village—to co-create new interactive exhibits.
We then appointed a creative practitioner and illustrator Jessica Hartshorn to lead creative workshops with students. It was insightful and inspiring to see the children explore how they would like museums to be more engaging. Their ideas inspired a range of hands-on activities, including a marble run, brass rubbings and stamps. These were all designed to bring the history of Foxton Locks to life in a fun and immersive way.
It's been a really fun project to work on. We used our expertise to support an independent museum develop their exhibition and used our local contacts with schools to bring children to the heart of the process. Not only do the museum now have new interactive exhibits, but thanks to the wonderful work of Leicestershire County Council’s Creative Learning Services, they have a roadmap for enhancing their offer to schools too.
The new interactive exhibits will be open at Foxton Canal Museum from 12 April, offering families a fantastic day out. Children can visit for free with a paying adult, making it the perfect opportunity to explore the museum’s fresh new look.
Please check Foxton Canal Museum’ website for more details.
Visit Culture Leicestershire's website to explore other exciting projects.