The Wee Museum of Memory at Ocean Terminal: Keeping people connected during lockdown

A key-worker project based at Ocean Terminal has been working hard to keep older people connected during lockdown. 

The Wee Museum of Memory (based on the second floor of the waterfront centre in Leith) is run by The Living Memory Association and prior to lockdown welcomed around 150 visitors per day. Now, they’ve had to take the project online to help keep people connected while restrictions are still in place. 

The museum is home to over 10,000 objects from 1930s school desks and 1970s record players to Leith/Edinburgh boundary plaque and a 6ft model of a Granton trawler.

The pieces in the museum help stimulate memories and get people talking to each other. With the physical location closed, the project co-ordinator Miles Tubb and his volunteers wanted to make sure there were still opportunities for people to connect through sharing stories and life experiences.   

Working closely with the team at Ocean Terminal they have been able to continue to bring people together albeit virtually through a series of podcasts and videos recorded at the museum’s studio at the centre.  

These weekly podcasts feature some of Edinburgh’s most loved residents including 76-year-old Evelyn Whitfield (above), one of the team’s longstanding volunteers. Evelyn has volunteered at the museum for 15 years.

During lockdown, whilst caring for her husband, Evelyn has been working alongside Miles to manage the project’s social media channels and compile their newsletters. In the latest episode of the podcast Evelyn joins Miles to reminisce about her memories of Leith. 

Another guest on the series is 75-year-old Edinburgh musician, John Robertson. John has been involved with the Edinburgh music scene for over 40 years and even played in a support band for The Who. 

Michelle MacLeod, Centre Manager at Ocean Terminal, said: “The Wee Museum of Memory at Ocean Terminal is hugely popular, attracting people of all ages and from all over the world.

“A lot of the museum’s older visitors and volunteers are among those more likely to feel cut off and isolated during these times so we have been only too happy to find a way to help.

“By making it possible for them to access the museum’s facilities at the centre, I’m delighted that Miles and his amazing volunteers can continue to reach out to people via their podcasts.”   

Miles Tubb, Project Co-Ordinator, The Wee Museum of Memory (above) added: “As a key worker project, we’re immensely grateful to be able to access our resources within Ocean Terminal during lockdown.

“It allows us to keep sharing memories and to do our best to keep people connected and lessen isolation during lockdown. We don’t want to let lockdown stop our visitors being able to reminisce about the good times and our weekly podcasts and YoutTube videos have been a great way to keep connected and let our visitors know that we’re still here.” 

Tune into the podcast series here. New episodes are live every Tuesday.

You can view The Wee Memory Museum’s YouTube channel here.