Many people go to Ocean Terminal to do a bit of shopping, see the latest film, get a vaccine, hit the gym, or have a cheeky wee Nando’s. But did you know there’s also a free hands-on museum waiting to be discovered?

The Wee Museum of Memory is situated on the first floor of Ocean Terminal. It offers a cornucopia of artefacts to stimulate the senses and trigger memories - carpet sweepers, old televisions, washboards, typewriters, school belts, carbolic soap, even a tin of Cremola Foam! With over 10,000 objects in our collection, and photos from Edinburgh’s past papering the walls, the museum is packed full of history; it’s almost like walking into a cluttered 1950s tenement flat!

Our museum offers a trip down memory lane for local and international visitors. Last year we welcomed 45,000 people through our doors. We’re open 7 days a week, 10:30am - 4pm (11am - 4pm on weekends), and we’re always free. You’re welcome to pick up anything that’s not screwed to the floor, and talk to our friendly staff and volunteers.

We are an accessible venue, based in Ocean Terminal with many amenities; cafes and restaurants close by, good wheelchair access, disabled toilets, baby changing facilities, and free parking.

We also host regular groups for all to join. On alternate Tuesdays (1pm), we host a reminiscence slideshow of old Edinburgh photographs, and on Thursdays (11am), we share memories while playing games, having a singsong, or trying out some arts and crafts. Our groups are free, exciting, and all are welcome.

In a time where loneliness and social isolation are increasingly common, we encourage older people, including those living with dementia, to come and visit us at the Wee Museum. Reminiscing is great for lifting the spirit, and our regular visitors love to have a blether about their schooldays, the matinée shows at the Capitol, or a night dancing in the Palais de Danse. Our staff are trained Dementia Friends, and we welcome people from all walks of life to share their stories with us over a cup of tea and a biscuit.

If you can’t visit us in person at the Wee Museum, you can check out our digital resources instead. We have a variety of reminiscence videos about the photographs in our archive and the objects on display in our museum – roller skates, 1960s hairdryers, school milk bottles… the list goes on.

You can also listen to interviews about the lives of local heroes like Micky Weir, Ken Buchanan and Pat Nevin. Or, on Tik Tok we’ve got bite size snippets from our regular visitors, like Sophia’s story about a gin drinking budgie, Charlie’s tale about the famous Old City Wall pub, or the legendary story about Roy Rogers and Trigger at the Caledonian Hotel told by Stewart (check our social media links at end). For those of you working in the older people sector, or who are eager to learn new skills, we offer training in reminiscence and oral history, and we have plenty of volunteer opportunities. We also have a variety of resources like our handling boxes that can be borrowed for a small donation.

Our boxes contain objects and photographs that appeal to the senses and help to stimulate memories. We have boxes on themes such as childhood, schooldays, going out, going on holiday, domestic life, a visit to the doctor and more. We offer these boxes to community groups, care homes and anyone who is interested in reminiscence. The tactile experience of handling an object is a great way to unlock people’s memories, and our boxes have always received positive feedback, so get in touch if you’re interested in these!

As if all that isn’t enough, we also host other heritage and community spaces in Ocean Terminal. On the ground floor, we run an exhibition about shopping and retail heritage called Away for the Messages. This space is filled with stories, photographs, and objects relating to shops and shopping in days gone by. Open 7 days a week, it is well worth a visit.

We’ve also created The Wee Hub – a vibrant community space used by many local groups, such as the Ukrainian Kid’s Club, Latin American Community Association of Edinburgh and Tinderbox Collective. Our Wee Play Hub (located next to the Wee Museum) is a free children’s play area, open Wed-Sun 11am-4pm.

The Wee Museum of Memory, Wee Hub, and Away for the Messages are run by the Living Memory Association (SCO30234). The Living Memory Association is an inclusive charity that works with all sectors of society, including refugees, the LGBTQ+ community, people living with disabilities and mental health issues. The Living Memory Association receives funding from the National Lottery Heritage and Community Funds, Culture and Business Fund Scotland, the Scottish Government and more.

We are grateful to our funders and Ocean Terminal for supporting our work. ■

Info:
livingmemory
association@
Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and X… thelmascotland@ Instagram and X… livingmemory.org.uk

Naomi Lawson & John McCaughie