Voices of ’68: travelling exhibition

An interactive, travelling exhibition featuring filmed testimonies of 30 political activists, historians and civilians who experienced a pivotal year in Northern Ireland in 1968, when the civil rights movement and political tensions came to the fore across the province.

The Voices of ’68 exhibition, encourages a fresh look at this crucial turning point in Northern Ireland’s political and social history and is told in the words of some of those directly involved at the time.

The exhibition is one part of a collaborative project between National Museums NI and Dr Chris Reynolds from Nottingham Trent University. The project has involved producing filmed testimonies capturing the personal accounts of events which occurred in 1968. Other elements of the project include a temporary exhibition at the Ulster Museum, educational resources and a series of extended videos to allow visitors to further explore this seminal moment in Northern Ireland’s recent history.

Karen Logan, Project Curator at National Museums NI comments - “Voices of ’68 has been a significant collaboration dedicated to highlighting the living legacies of a time in history that challenged Northern Irish society.

“We hope that the exhibitions and talks throughout the exhibition will encourage conversations around the wider issues of human rights and political reform and that the actions of the past will help inform all communities.”

Dr Chris Reynolds of Nottingham Trent University states - “It has been a privilege to work with National Museums NI on this project. The Ulster Museum houses a wealth of historical archives that tell an important story about conflict, communities and peacebuilding.

“The exhibition offers a snapshot of the people who were involved in or witnessed social and political events across Northern Ireland fifty years ago, and how testimonies can educate and resonate with a wide generation of visitors from all backgrounds.”

• The travelling exhibition uses Augmented Reality to enhance its mobility and provides an immersive, interactive experience for the visitor.
• The travelling exhibition is accompanied by a digital version that enables visitors to explore the material before and after a visit.

1.      GCSE materials
A bespoke set of GCSE educational resources that are available online and provide a whole series of activities for before, during and after a museum visit, specifically tailored to the needs of the curriculum.

Media contact: Chris Reynolds (chris.reynolds@ntu.ac.uk) - 07971131158
There are two travelling versions of this exhibition that have been to numerous destinations with more to come.

There will be a public lecture to accompany this exhibition on Monday 2nd March at 3pm in Pathfoot A96