Unlocking Potential: Museums and Prison Learning Programmes

The University of Edinburgh’s Heritage Collections team is demonstrating the power of museums and archives to create lasting social impact by working with prisoners.

Laura Beattie, the Community Engagement Officer, shared insights at MuseumNext into a pioneering initiative that has brought the university’s collections into Scottish prisons, transforming education and engagement in a challenging environment.

Bridging Communities Through Heritage

The University of Edinburgh oversees an extraordinary array of heritage assets, including world-class musical instruments, rare books, and the archives of the university itself.

Laura’s role in the civic engagement team focuses on connecting these treasures with underserved communities. In 2023, this mission extended into two Scottish prisons: Polmont Young Offenders Institute and HMP Perth.

The inspiration for these prison learning programmes stemmed from various influences.

Since 2019, the university has collaborated with the charity Access to Industry, which supports individuals facing barriers to employment, including those involved in the criminal justice system.

Hearing about Access to Industry’s work in Polmont sparked the idea to use heritage collections to foster educational opportunities in prisons.

Around the same time, an exhibition titled Touching Stitches showcased a historic embroidery collection. This project, curated by Professor Lindy Richardson, involved prisoners creating replicas of the embroidery, highlighting the potential of engaging incarcerated individuals in creative and educational activities.

Designing Programmes with Purpose

The prison learning programmes were developed in partnership with Fife College, which oversees educational services in Scottish prisons.

Together, the teams created structured eight-week and ten-week programmes tailored to the needs of Polmont and Perth, respectively.

Each week, participants explored a different topic from the university’s collections, ensuring flexibility for those unable to attend every session.

Sessions were designed to cater to a wide variety of interests and educational backgrounds. Topics included inventors and inventions, optical illusions, decorated papers, urban planning inspired by Patrick Geddes, and geology.

The programmes also incorporated diverse teaching styles, ranging from object-based learning and hands-on creative activities to reflective discussions and debates.

Overcoming Challenges

Working within the prison environment presented unique challenges, including navigating strict regulations on what materials could be brought in and ensuring the inclusivity of educational content.

The university’s solution was to create facsimiles of collection items, such as 17th and 18th-century decorated papers and 3D-printed musical instruments.

Additionally, virtual reality headsets allowed participants to explore heritage objects in immersive ways, such as experiencing Robert Barker’s pioneering panoramic painting.

Another hurdle was addressing the diverse needs and backgrounds of the prison population. Participants ranged from those with minimal formal education to individuals with undergraduate degrees.

To accommodate this diversity, the programmes offered a broad spectrum of topics and activities, enabling participants to engage in ways that resonated with them personally.

Transformative Impact

The impact of the programmes extended beyond education. Participants were encouraged to create a physical output, such as an exhibition, to showcase their learning.

Each participant also received a certificate of achievement, fostering a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Caroline Milligan, Archives Assistant and Research Assistant for the Regional Ethnology of Scotland Project, noted the resilience and engagement of the prison participants.

She described sessions that sparked deep discussions and allowed individuals to share memories and experiences, often bridging the gap between their lives inside and outside prison.

Ana Miret Garcia, a Teaching Fellow at the University’s School of Architecture, led a session on urban planning principles inspired by Patrick Geddes.

She highlighted the dynamic and participatory nature of the sessions, where participants applied Geddes’ concepts to their own environments, including designing their ideal prison cells.

Looking Ahead

As the project evolves, the team is exploring new ways to evaluate its success. They plan to experiment with storytelling methodologies that capture participants’ narratives about the most significant changes they experienced during the programme.

Additionally, there is a push to secure philanthropic funding to expand and sustain the initiative.

David McLay, Philanthropy Manager for Library and University Collections, emphasised the programme’s potential to inspire similar projects in other contexts. He described it as a “right project at the right time” capable of making a real difference in people’s lives.

Lessons for Museum Professionals

This innovative project underscores the importance of flexibility, creativity, and community-centred approaches in museum outreach.

By offering participants choices and respecting their lived experiences, the team created a programme that was both inclusive and impactful.

The success of these initiatives highlights the potential for museums and archives to drive social change, even in the most unexpected places.

For museum professionals, the University of Edinburgh’s work serves as an inspiring example of how heritage collections can be leveraged to foster education, build resilience, and create meaningful connections with underserved communities.