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Commercial Fishing

BUCKHAVEN’S HIDDEN HARBOUR TEMPORARY EXHIBITION

Buckhaven's Hidden Harbour Temporary Exhibition

Exhibition curated by P6 pupils at Mountfleurie Primary School in Leven.

The Scottish Fisheries Museum’s next exhibition Buckhaven’s Hidden Harbour was created by local P6 school children. SFM staff supported pupils at Mountfleurie Primary School in Leven to curate an exhibition about their local history as part of a pilot project organized by Museum Galleries Scotland.

The exhibition explores the history of Buckhaven Harbour which was built in 1838. The harbour was in use until a storm in 1937 which severely damaged the harbour wall. At this point it was left to the mercy of the waves and eventually crumbled away into the sea. The exhibition is in the pupils’ own words, highlights the stories they found interesting and features the objects they chose to display.

Mountfleurie pupils took on different heritage roles to create the exhibition, from researchers and writers, to curators, designers, and education officers. They had fun visiting the museum, learning more about their local fishing heritage and getting hands on with museum objects.

“Our involvement in this project has been of great benefit to the children” says Andy Cargill, Depute Headteacher. “They have had opportunities to develop their understanding of the role of Museums in society. They have had fun learning about all the different jobs that people have and making links to the world of work and developing skills that can be transferred across the curriculum.”

Class teacher Sharon Iddir-ed loved the project “it has introduced the children to the possibilities and creativity involved in curating and exhibiting objects. The learning was evident on a recent trip to Edinburgh where children were able to confidently talk about prior learning and transfer it to a different museum space. Overall, the project has empowered our learners and given them confidence.”

The pupils’ work was part of a Scotland-wide project ‘Workforce for the Future’ funded by Art Fund and organised by Museum Galleries Scotland. The project supported collaboration between Museums, Schools and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW). Museums were partnered with local schools to explore local history and develop heritage skills using a new learning resource ‘Marseum’ developed by Daydream Believers. The Scottish Fisheries Museum piloted the project in Fife and is currently the only Fife Museum delivering the project.

“We were happy to be chosen by MGS to pilot this project in Fife” says Julia Branch, Learning and Engagement Officer at SFM. “It was a privilege see the children have fun and engage with our museum collections in new ways. Also , it was interesting and sometimes surprising to see what stories the children discovered and want to share with the public.”

Frankie Bradley, Workforce and Training Officer commented “We are thrilled to see the success of the Mountfleurie school project. This initiative has not only inspired students by enhancing their knowledge of working in museums but also developed valuable employability skills that will benefit them in the future. A special thanks to Julia and Linda at the Museum, whose dedication and expertise have been instrumental in making this project such a success”.

The exhibition is open from 25th January until 18 May 2025 and entry is included within Museum general admission.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXHIBITION OR PROJECT, CONTACT JULIA BRANCH, LEARNING AND ENGAGMENT OFFICER ON 01333 310628 or EMAIL julia@scotfishmuseum.