What is Reminiscence?
Everyone reminisces, reminiscing is swapping old stories with friends and remembering all the things you used to do as children, or sitting around the table and talking about past events. Reminiscing is all about happy recollections and thinking back to stories from the past but for older people memories can be especially important and valuable.
Over the last few years, our reminiscence work at the museum has involved visiting care homes, day centres and social clubs, using objects and photographs from the past to prompt long term memory, stimulate conversation and empower people to tell their story.
During the Covid-19 pandemic the museum switched from face to face sessions to online digital sessions.
The online sessions were set up to keep people enjoying the interaction with the museum but we found that the digital sessions were also improving people’s mental health and well-being whilst making them feel part of something during this period of reduced contact with family and friends by holding these sessions it has helped with reducing social isolation.
“These sessions are open to everyone in the wider community and have been a life line to so many people”
Susan, Community Officer, The Norris Museum
Carried out sensitively and appropriately, reminiscence can aid well-being and have therapeutic benefits for those with dementia, who have short term memory problems and may struggle to communicate. Reminiscence concentrates on what people can remember rather than what they cannot! It is also an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
The digital and face to face sessions have brought people together to meet and share their stories and experiences. While some members of the group may wish to recollect silently the social element of reminiscence can often boost all participants’ sense of well-being and allows people to make valuable connections.
Would you like to know more or get involved?
The Norris Museum run the following session:-
Reminiscence at The Norris Museum
Sessions are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month.
Time: 10.30-11.30am
Costs: £2.50 per person and refreshments will be available.
Royal Air Force Reminiscence Group
Session are held on the 2nd Monday of every month.
Time: 1.30-2.30pm
Cost: Free
There is also the option of booking a private session for organised groups such as care homes or community centres. Private sessions cost £40 and last approximately 1 hour. They can be held at the Museum or in the community.
Reminiscence Loan Boxes – Launching 2025
The museum has a range of reminiscence loan boxes that contain a variety or artefacts, replica items and discussion cards that can be used by care homes, day centres and community settings, as part of reminiscence sessions with older people.
Boxes are available for a charge of £40 a box and can be borrowed for one week at a time. We will also take a £25 cash deposit that will be refunded to you once the box/boxes have been returned to us, as long as this is by the agreed date, and everything is returned in the condition you received them.
Advanced booking is essential.
Available boxes include: –
- 1950’s
- 1960’s
- 1970’s
- Christmas
- Fashion through the decades
- Holidays
- Music
- Sport
- St Ives History
- Toys and pastimes.
If you are interested in joining a reminiscence session or borrowing a reminiscence loan box please contact Susan, the Community Officer, to discuss your needs.
Please telephone the museum on 01480 497314 or email communities@norrismuseum.org.uk