The Museum of Cornish Life is one of three museums to be shortlisted in the Best Small Museum Project category for the Digital Dial In project, as part of the Museums Change Lives Awards 2020. This national competition showcases the work museums are doing across the country to create a positive impact in their community and help improve people’s wellbeing.

Digital Dial Ins allow people to have a live, guided visit to the museum through using digital technology such as a tablet,computer or phone. Since the Covid 19 pandemic started these weekly Digital Dial Ins have been a window into a different space for people in a local care home who haven’t been able to travel outside their home or receive visitors in. The Digital Dial Ins have been a chance for conversations to take place between museum staff and the residents helping everybody to make contact at a time when physical interaction has been extremely reduced. This interaction helps raise the spirits and improve the mental health of everyone involved.

Digital Dial Ins evolved from the Wish You Were Here project which ran in spring 2019, here is a short film about the project. At the time it was thought that care home residents would be the main audience, but of course, due to Covid 19, more and more people are no longer able to travel to visit in person so the museum is happy to offer this service to anyone who needs it.

Isobel King Community Engagement Curator said:

I am delighted that we have been nominated for this award as the project has brought real benefits to everyone involved. Many stories and memories have been shared during these digital sessions giving people a chance to fully engage with history and sometimes even adding to our knowledge of particular objects.