'My London’: exploring identities through audience participation and critical consumption

Recently a growing recognition of partiality in the museological representation of community identity has encouraged museums to strive towards producing

more inclusive narratives with a broad appeal (Sandell, 2002; McLean, 2008).

Yet it is an indisputable truth that a narrative always remains the product of a conditioned selection process. Despite the use of multimedia and interactive elements, material culture displays tend to be static and, therefore, contrast with peoples’ multiple and transitional identities. Consequently a greater focus has been placed on raising awareness of the constructed nature of museum displays. Involving visitors in the production of exhibition content has also provided museum professionals with a clearer understanding of their contribution to meaning-making (Mason, 2005). This article outlines an

approach to developing these ideas concerning visitor interpretation through exploring the creation of identity at the Museum of London. Additionally it documents the process by which Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) students

and the Museum of London sought to identify a means of conveying knowledge resulting from academic research.