Visitors to People’s History Museum (PHM) will get an extra warm welcome to the national museum of democracy this summer with the completion of a project to increase accessibility to the building and a range of inspiring activities taking place over the months ahead. A dedicated Family Friendly gallery space, a trail that explores Britain’s general election history and a shout out to t-shirts are all part of the line-up.

Playful Protest Space
Gallery Three, PHM’s Playful Protest Space, is a dedicated Family Friendly area where activism can be explored through craft and play. There will be games to play and films to watch that are all inspired by the museum’s collection and the spirit of making a difference. For those that want to take part in some craftivism there will be a huge mural to contribute to with all the colourful materials available to make your mark. The Playful Protest Space will be open throughout the summer holidays, is free to visit and no booking is required.

General election trail
The big talking point this summer, the 2024 general election, is given some fascinating historical context in the General Election Trail, which takes place at PHM until Monday 30 September. It picks out some of the objects that highlight the twists and turns that have taken place across 20 different general elections; the figures involved and how British democratic history has been made. Included on the trail is the jacket that Angela Rayner, the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, wore on her first appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on 16 September 2020. It is one of the museum’s most recent acquisitions. The trail is a free self-guided activity, suitable for ages 12+.

For younger visitors there are other ways to explore the museum, including Banner Bingo (free) and little suffragettes trail (£2.50).

The t-shirts collection
PHM’s Collections Team has just completed a project to digitalise the museum’s extensive collection of t-shirts. There are t-shirts that have appeared on protests and t-shirts that become moments of protest; all with fascinating stories to tell. They number over 100 in total, with a selection currently on display. These include one from 1988 that features the Never Going Underground symbol, which was adopted by the North West Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Equality to campaign against Section 28 and a t-shirt that was part of the merchandise produced by the Labour Party ahead of the 1997 election that saw Tony Blair elected as Prime Minister. Whilst only a few are on display, all can be viewed here by doing a keyword search. You can also enjoy a summer read about the project here.

And just in time for the summer holidays PHM Shop is stocking a brand new t-shirt design to mark the 40th anniversary of the iconic Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners’ (LGSM) Pits and Perverts fundraiser that took place in Camden’s Electric Ballroom to raise funds for the miners during the Miner’s Strike of 1984 to 1985. You’ll also find stocked a t-shirt that is emblazoned with the suffragettes’ message ‘First in the Fight’, as well as lots of other original ideas inspired by the museum’s collection.

Welcome Project at PHM
The Welcome Project at PHM is the legacy of its exhibition Nothing About Us Without Us, which explored the history of disabled people’s activism and the ongoing fight for rights and inclusion. PHM not only wanted to tell these stories, it wanted to take action by improving accessibility to its own spaces. An audit carried out by Manchester Disabled People’s Access Group in 2020 resulted in the recommendations that have now been carried out. A new accessible entranceway and new internal welcome signage now greet visitors, who will be guided around the building with new user-friendly wayfinder signage and a brand new accessible toilet block that includes a Changing Places Toilet has been installed. The final measure has been the arrival of colourful new furniture to the foyer area and galleries. Following the same principles that have guided the whole project, this includes different height options, contrasting colours to make edges clear and low reflection.

All of this progressive work has been made possible thanks to the grant funding provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities with support from DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Valencia Communities Fund, in association with Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Open Kitchen Cafe & Bar
Open Kitchen Café & Bar will be serving a Family Friendly summer menu that features tasty sandwiches, pasta and pizza priced from £4.00. Like everything on the menu it is ethically and locally sourced. For those who want to bring their own lunch there is a dedicated picnic space inside the museum.

People’s History Museum’s opening hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm, every day except Tuesdays. Open Kitchen Café & Bar’s also opens everyday except Tuesdays, from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Museum entry is free, with most visitors donating £10. To find out about visiting PHM, its full exhibitions and events programme visit phm.org.uk and you can keep up to date with the latest news by signing up to receive PHM’s e-newsletter.