It seems to me that the relationship between East Lothian Council Museums and their communities, Dunbar, Musselburgh and Prestonpans is very close. Museum services can be beneficial to the development of communities in different ways, for example, educational functions (loan box delivery and workshops), preserving their cultural spirit, entertainment and town image improvement. The museum also provides collections and research functions for the public. The East Lothian Council Museums Collections Database, which I have mainly worked on during my placement, can let people see images of objects and obtain relevant information. People, who are interested in social history, art and local culture in East Lothian, can search their information by accessing the system. I am glad that I have a chance to contribute to this site and many thanks to my supervisor, Sheila. She has been patient, showing me how to set up, update and edit the system, which I have never worked on before.
In addition, I have had a variety of work experiences apart from the database, like involvement in education activities, handling, packing, numbering and meeting with an artist and movers. Very interesting! The museum makes efforts to broaden their services with new media strategies, such as the collections database system, mobile tour, Flickr and this Blog. It means the museums can engage with more potential visitors. I have created an account on Flickr, where I can upload many amazing photos, related to our museum services and add comments. The museum blog is the place where curators, volunteers and visitors can convey their ideas interactively. Anyway, I would like to say that I have learned a lot and enjoy working in the museum during this time. Everyone is so nice and I have gained a lot of fantastic experiences in East Lothian.
We’ve enjoyed you being here too Yu-Ting!