Museums And Archives

Archiving Remembrance: The Arboretum at 25

Through Archiving Remembrance: The Arboretum at 25, the National Memorial Arboretum will establish its first formal archive to safeguard, organise and share the Arboretum’s unique 25-year history as the nation’s centre for Remembrance. The project will bring together dispersed, at-risk materials held by staff, volunteers, memorial holders and partners, including photographs, service sheets, event programmes, site plans, and personal recollections. By cataloguing and digitising these materials, and through collecting oral histories, the archive will protect this irreplaceable heritage while making it accessible for staff, volunteers, researchers, visitors and memorial communities. Volunteers will be trained in collections care, archiving and oral history, building new skills and creating opportunities for lasting community involvement. The archive will underpin future learning materials, exhibitions, interpretation and engagement, including elements of the Arboretum’s 25th anniversary programme, and provide an ongoing resource that strengthens the organisation’s long-term sustainability as a place for everyone to engage in Remembrance.