Students help attract a tech-savvy audience for Chester Military Museum

The exciting experiential project has seen 16 teams of students, work over two months to engage younger, more tech-savvy audiences and to help the museum ‘come alive’ for all.

They started with complimentary visits to the museum and a lecture where Jane Harrad-Roberts and Chris Walton of Marketing PRojects and Museum Curator Caroline Chamberlain spoke to the students, answered questions and showed some of the ‘props’ used in school visits and education at the museum. Two students were brave enough to try on a gas mask!

The students then worked in teams to develop their ideas ready to present them to the Museum.

Noah Besley is a second year Software Engineering student and enjoyed the experience: He said: “In Team B we looked at the website and adding various interactive content.  It was exciting to see our project take shape, become whole and we as a team believe that it will add value. I’ve enjoyed working collaboratively on an industry project which helps mirror what we’ll experience in the sector.”

Jules Barnes, Software Engineering Course Leader is proud of what the students have achieved. She said: "We had a fantastic day of concluding presentations for our computing students who have just completed five weeks of Experiential Learning. I am so proud of them all, they all did so well and achieved a lot in such a short space of time."

The Museum was impressed by the professionalism of the teams and three students will now be working at the museum over the coming weeks to put some of their ideas into place: Vasilii Zubarev who is studying Computer Science and Chidalu Nwizu and Saifaldeen Alhmoud who are both studying Software Engineering.

Vasilii explained that they will be digitally enhancing the Trench exhibit at the museum and is looking forward to getting started.

He said: “It is very exciting to be working on a project that could have a lasting positive impact. Apart from getting first-hand industry experience this is also an opportunity for us to contribute to a good cause, helping to preserve the history of the region and maybe even help someone get an interest in history.”

Some of the project materials will be funded from Army Museums Ogilby Trust (AMOT). AMOT was founded in 1954 to represent, support and promote the 140 Regimental and Corps museums of the British Army. The grant was made to help modernise displays and enhance storytelling at Cheshire Military Museum.