Revealing Collections, 2010

With Royal Museum of Cornwall, University College Falmouth, Truro College, Platform 51

Students and local young people in Truro gave fresh, provocative interpretations to rarely seen collections through dance, crafts, video, design, photography and animations, drawing out the relevance between the objects and with issues around sex in their own lives. Their responses were displayed in a special exhibition in 2010 Revealing Collections at Royal Museum of Cornwall.

Young participant with his interpretation of a Japanese phallic netsuke. Photo: Royal Museum of Cornwall.

“Sex may seem the most unlikely of subjects for a museum context but it is one that is especially pertinent today with the growth of sexually transmitted diseases and constant exposure to sex through the media and the internet.  The project offered a way to engage sensibly with the topic – with cultural and historical perspectives combating stereotypes and pressures.”  – RCM’s Community Engagement Manager, Louise McDermott.

Sex and History’s Dr. Rebecca Langlands and diploma student with her sketchbook installation interpreting Sierra Leone ‘Sowei’ Mask, c. 1880. Photo: Royal Cornwall Museum

As part of the project a resource pack of historical images –  ‘Talking Sex’ – was trialed in schools in Cornwall for use in Sex and Relationships Education (SRE). Download the Talking Sex resource pack evaluation report.

See our developing work in resources for SRE.

Read the ‘Revealing Collections’ project case study report from RCM .