Nostalgia, quills, and virtual thrills: Inspire's Hands on Heritage Day success

Visitors explored a wide variety of local and family history stalls, browsing local history publications, pop-up museum exhibits, and fascinating photographs from Nottinghamshire’s past. Children and families were kept entertained with activities including Inspire’s Little Creatives workshop with artist Clare Taylor, who led a craft activity using different shapes to make a colourful crown. Bassetlaw Museum also entertained families with plant pot decorating and seed sowing in their wartime-inspired "Dig for Victory" activity.

Heritage groups and organisations from across the county were in attendance, including the D. H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, Nottingham City Council Museums: Newstead Abbey, and the Nottinghamshire Bobbin Lace Society, who invited visitors to try their hand at the traditional craft of bobbin lace-making.

This year’s event marked the 80th anniversary of VE and VJ Day, with a range of Second World War themed exhibits and activities. Visitors delighted in music by the Red Hot Band, whose 1940s-inspired live performance created the perfect backdrop to enjoy refreshments on the mezzanine floor.

Making a big impression were Nottinghamshire Archives, who brought an exciting mix of hands-on activities, historic documents, and new tech. Their interactive map allowed visitors to explore local history in new ways, while augmented reality brought virtual life to documents stored in the Archives.

By contrast, the conservation team showcased historic bookbinding techniques and demonstrated traditional approaches to book making, inviting attendees to try bookbinding themselves too. Guests could also write their names using a traditional quill and ink to sign a fictional apprenticeship agreement – with jobs from hairdresser to barrel-maker up for grabs. For puzzle lovers, the Archives’ “Escape Room in a Box” proved a hit, with an archivist on hand to guide detectives through a series of challenges, including a visit to their Inspire Picture Archive, to crack the code and claim their booty – their pick from a selection of sweet treats!

A standout feature of the day was the launch of the Virtual Reality Library tour, part of the ambitious new initiative Digital Spaces supported by Arts Council England, BFI, National Lottery funding, and The Space. The tour kicked off at Hands on Heritage with 57 visitors experiencing the immersive virtual reality content, which participants labelled as absorbing, real, fun, immersive, emotional, and unforgettable. Featured titles included Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway, The Philharmonia’s Lark Ascending, and Berlin Blitz which took viewers on a journey over Nazi-occupied Europe - described by many as emotional and personal, given the context of the occasion. The VR tour continues this weekend at Worksop Library, before visiting Kirkby in Ashfield and Beeston libraries this May half-term.

Visitors at Hands on Heritage also enjoyed taking part in a trail, collecting stickers located near exhibition panels from Mansfield Central Library’s current exhibition, Unearthed: The Power of Gardening. The exhibition explores the transformative, enriching and sometimes radical power of gardening. Inspired by the British Library’s major exhibition (2 May – 10 August 2025), Inspire is one of 30 library services celebrating gardening through the UK-wide Living Knowledge Network. It reveals how gardening can bring people together, empower communities and shape our relationship with the natural world. It also considers gardening as a form of activism, as a means of challenging land ownership and highlighting social disparities, as well as providing a global story about the movement of plants.  

As the Virtual Reality Library tour continues to other libraries, and anticipation already builds for next year’s celebration, it’s clear that Nottinghamshire’s love for heritage is stronger than ever.