Lives of Objects – Service product pilot at Mynämäki Museum

On October 3rd Mynämäki Museum hosted a pilot workshop for the “Lives of Objects – Men’s memory workshop,” part of the CoMe Stronger project’s development of new museum services. The event invited elderly men to share and discuss memories sparked by old objects, some brought by participants and others from the museum’s collection. The workshop encouraged storytelling and reflection, making everyone feel heard and valued. Although the stories were not recorded this time, the workshop can also be used to document men’s stories for future use by the museum.

The pilot involved 12 participants, divided into two groups led by facilitators. Objects such as an ice cream machine and tobacco items prompted lively discussions about childhood, work life, and changing times. Narrative methods were used to encourage storytelling, and facilitators supported participation, especially from quieter members, guiding the conversation with open questions. The chosen objects worked well and generated active participation.  

Feedback was collected and most participants rated the workshop as good or very good. Everyone felt able to join the discussion, and sharing memories was meaningful. The event was easy to attend, and the group size was just right. Suggestions for improvement included more objects, different themes (childhood, school, work), and showing objects from different eras side by side to see how they’ve changed. The pilot demonstrated that memory workshops built around objects can foster meaningful conversations, support social inclusion, and help museums collect valuable stories.

Now that many of the service product pilots have been implemented, it’s time to start finalizing the modeling of the service products. After the project ends, the models will be available to everyone through the project’s website.