Curious Stories: Exploring and Collecting at the Museum

Have you ever wondered where in the world museum objects come from? Or why as humans, we like to collect things?

Using The Beaney’s Explorers & Collectors gallery as inspiration, Curious Stories delves into the origins of the museum collections and questions how we present and share stories of objects today.

Co-designed with local community groups, the exhibition presents a place to learn from Canterbury’s explorers of the past, including specially chosen objects from Victorian Explorer Reverend Henry Lansdell’s explorations. Alongside fascinating artefacts from the museum collection will be colourful and creative responses, connecting the things we have in common across cultures and time.

Families and younger visitors will find areas for playing and relaxing such as the Curiosity Corner and a reading area co-designed by a local youth group.

Curious Stories has been co-created with local partners:

The Beaney’s Be Connected Network
Kent Refugee Action Network
Switch Youth Group

As well as The Beaney’s community wellbeing groups:

Power of the Object
CAMEO (Come and Meet Each Other)
Sensing Culture

Saturday 7 September 2024 to Sunday 16 March 2025 (Closed Mondays)

Free admission, £3 suggested donation.

Special Exhibitions Room, First Floor, The Beaney

Visitor Stories

We are seeking contributions of stories and information you may have about objects in the museum collection. The objects on display were collected at different times, from different places in different ways. Sometimes we know a lot about an object whereas other items need further information, research and importantly, other perspectives.

We are seeking: