Of all the interpretive devices, museums can choose from, a timeline is a great way of getting either a historical narrative or a background story across to visitors. And they work particularly well when they combine imagery and objects, as here in Sankeys: Extraordinary and Everyday.

The exhibition features photographs of life in North West England during the last century through the eyes of Barrow’s most famous photographers - the Sankey family. 

The display has been curated by staff from Signal Film and Media and largely informed by the work of a team of volunteers who have been researching and documenting the archive over the last few years [https://signalfilmandmedia.com/seeing-the-north-with-sankey/]. It’s accompanied by films and art by local adults and school students.

Many of the photograph haven’t been seen in public before, so it’s a treat for those who know the archive already as well as for anyone interested in Barrow, the Lake District and beyond.

I was pleased to help the team out with some collaborative interpretation planning workshops, while they were refining their ideas and content. And I also gave a light copy-edit to the text that’s gone on display in the exhibition. If you spot any typos, let me know.

The exhibition is open until 9 January 2022.