Through partnerships with Age UK, local care providers, and dementia support groups, we delivered a series of structured reminiscence sessions across the UK  designed to gather stories, spark memory, and contribute directly to the shaping of a national youth culture collection.

Sessions were held in Bolton, Birmingham, Scarborough, and Camden, and facilitated by our in-house outreach lead Anne O’Toole, alongside dementia specialists and local carers. These sessions provided a quiet, supported space for older participants to reflect on their teenage years, share memories, and nominate objects they felt were representative of their youth. Materials from the Museum’s archive were used as prompts in purpose built ‘Memory Boxes’, helping unlock stories that might otherwise remain untold. These boxes are now a key part of the Museum’s toolkit when working with elders, demonstating a real long term legacy from this partnership with Age UK.

The workshops generated over 70 object suggestions, many of which brought to light areas of cultural history that are often overlooked — from early dance halls and teddy boy style to post-war rationing and local youth club scenes. In several cases, participants described objects they still had at home, resulting in follow-up donations and interviews.

Beyond the direct contributions to the collection, the work highlighted the importance of including older voices in the development of a national youth heritage narrative. Many participants spoke of feeling unseen in discussions around culture, and the sessions created space to reflect, connect, and feel part of a wider narrative. This strand of the project has deepened our commitment to intergenerational engagement as a core principle of how the Museum operates.

Following her success in this area, Anne has now taken on a permanent role as the Museum’s Project Manager for Elder Engagement, helping embed intergenerational work across our wider programme in the future. As a result of this project, Ann has been invited to appear in an official Age UK social media video produced for Dementia Action Week.