Discovering Lost Professions: A new service product piloted at Naantali Museum

A new “Lost Professions” service product, developed through collaboration between elderly men, museums and the project, was piloted at Naantali Museum in September, offering participants a unique opportunity to explore and reminisce about professions that have disappeared from the local landscape. The pilot combined the presentation of lost professions with hands-on experiences using related objects and devices. The pilot was structured in two parts: first, an introduction to the Lost Professions exhibition and a chance to try out the objects followed by a memory and discussion session using photos, which broadened the range of professions discussed and encouraged participants to share personal stories. The sessions were implemented as workshops for small groups.

Feedback and observations

Feedback from participants and museum staff was positive. Many appreciated the opportunity to recall and discuss past professions, noting the rapid changes in society and the importance of preserving these memories for future generations. The combination of exhibition, hands-on testing, and photo-based discussion was considered effective. The sessions sparked lively discussions, with participants sharing stories both with each other and museum staff. The hands-on component was especially appreciated, and the freedom to handle objects without restrictions was viewed as a significant benefit.

Some suggestions for improvement included allowing more time for discussion, reducing group size for optimal interaction, and addressing some physical accessibility concerns related to space and lighting. The importance of the facilitator’s role in guiding the conversation and ensuring everyone’s story was heard was also noted. The pilot demonstrated clear potential for further development and scalability to other museums.

Upcoming pilots and events

The last service product pilot in Finland, Lives of Objects – Men’s Memories Workshop, took place on October 3rd at Mynämäki Museum. This service product invited participants to share personal memories and stories related to old objects. Meanwhile, in Estonia, the service product pilots are still ongoing. One of the themes is, for example: Design your own tour: stories chosen by men. Stay tuned for updates!

Project’s final seminar Elderly men in Museums will be held online 10 December 2025. Read more about the webinar on event page.

Project visibility

The CoMe Stronger project was also presented at a Central Baltic Programme networking event in Turku, which was targeted at projects operating under the Programme’s Objective 7 (Public services and solutions for the citizens). The event provided valuable visibility for the project and for the Naantali Museum and highlighted the participatory approach in engaging different generations in developing museum services. More information about the event and the broader context of public service development can be found in the Central Baltic news article: How Can We Build Better Public Services Across Borders? – Central Baltic.