Museums work with young people to tell Stories of the World

Major museums and libraries across the UK are preparing to host an unprecendented exploration of the past using young people as curators, inspired by the 2012 Games.

Stories of the World, one of the major projects of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, is a series of exciting exhibitions that will reconnect museum collections with the people and communities they came from.

Hosted by 59 venues across the UK, the £6 million programme is organised by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) in partnership with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The programme will be delivered through 14 partnerships and will generate over 35 exhibitions and events UK-wide.

The project aims to inspire young people to dig into the past and dust it down. They will work as curators, finding new ways to present objects and artefacts, discovering untold stories and hidden meanings, and working with museums, libraries and archives to generate a network of innovative exhibitions for 2011 and 2012.

Andrew Motion, MLA Chair said: 'Much of our museum’s collections come from all over the world; brought here through exploration and trade and uncomfortably tied up with our imperial histories. These stories have often been described from the same, familiar perspective.

'Stories of the World makes a break from all that. It is a real opportunity to do something that’s bold and creative on a national scale like never before. It’s hugely exciting that curators and historians are taking a back seat and we are connecting museum collections back with the people and communities they came from. It’s equally as exciting to see young people engaged with museums and objects, helping to curate exhibitions and making them relevant to Britain today.'

Jude Kelly, Chair of the Culture, Ceremonies and Education Committee, LOCOG, added: 'This unique project will bring people together to share their stories across generations and between cultures. It will inspire young people by bringing them into contact with some of the great thinkers, artists and historians of different times and places.'