Our community reminiscence sessions bring the heritage resources of Somerset direct to your group.

Guided by trained experts, sessions are activity rich and allow people to touch, handle and listen to stimulate recall.

Choose from our themed sessions:

A Sweet Tooth

Most people remember the treats of their childhood. Travel back down memory lane to when a handful of coins bought Bulls Eyes, Black Jacks and Sherbet Lemons. Smell some ingredients and taste some classic sweets. Let your imagination take a stroll to the corner shop and a visit to the school dentist!

Toys and Games

From marbles to skipping ropes, everyone played games in their younger years. Explore a wide range of hands-on games designed to get people sharing their own memories. Play an audio game, matching the sound to the toy or game. Listen and touch re-living the actions of childhood play in this practical session.

Second World War

Look at life on the home front during the war, using a range of familiar objects and documents. Take a journey back to times of rationing, blackouts and evacuees. See films of local residents and the West Country. Smell wartime fragrances. This experience provides a vivid snapshot of wartime Britain.

Somerset Wildlife

Living in Somerset has always brought people close to the countryside.  Choose your favourite bird and see some taxidermy examples.  Hear about hunting for food and match the wild animals from a selection of real skulls.  Talk about how our connection with the countryside has changed over the years.

At the Seaside

Take a trip with us to the beach.  Identify a range of seaside smells and sounds and hear about Ron’s Sunday School trip to Burnham.  Touch and feel real shells and pebbles in our sand tray. With mystery objects and much more, this is a real holiday treat.

Wash Day

It’s Monday, it’s wash day!  Listen to memories from Joyce about helping her mother with the washing.  See demonstrations using an authentic dolly, posser, washboard and wash tub, with real ‘Sunlight’ soap.  Have a go yourself with scrubbing and rinsing. A hands-on, bubbly session.

Food and Farming

Look at a shopping basket of food from the grocer. Share memories and hear Mary’s story about butter making. Touch and see real food and farming tools from the countryside. This session works well in rural areas where people have spent their life on the land.

The Royal Family

Have you ever met a member of the royal family? Do you have any royal memorabilia? Join in and share your memories of life under different monarchs over the years.  Lots of royal documents and collectables to see and guess some mystery objects.

Baa Baa Blacksheep!

Explore the delights of the world of wool and learn about the local sheepskin industry.

Touch and handle real examples from leather and wool samples to sheep farming tools and even a shepherd’s crook this session will especially appeal to groups in the rural Mendip area.

We even have a knitted bathing costume, remember them!

Booking

To book or for further information please complete the form below.