The Museum of Living History has been an extraordinary journey, bringing together children, families, and communities across Basildon to explore our shared past and reimagine it for today.

The project began in August 2024, when we partnered with Achieve Thrive Flourish to run a week-long summer workshop for children. Over the course of the week, participants created set and props, contributed to script development, and rehearsed their own performance. The project culminated in a joyful sharing with parents and carers, where the children performed what they had devised. This early stage set the tone for the Museum of Living History: playful, creative, and rooted in community collaboration.

Building on this foundation, throughout June and July 2025 we worked across the five towns of Basildon to run intergenerational community workshops. People of all ages joined us to create their own artefacts, which became part of a living, growing community museum. These artefacts reflected the stories, memories, and creativity of local people, giving everyone a chance to leave their mark on the project.

Finally, in August 2025, we brought everything together with an interactive performance inspired by the story of Wat Tyler and the Peasants' Revolt. With performers Artemas Watts and Jonney Tyler, audiences were taken on a time-travelling adventure full of acting, singing, laughter — and of course, bubbles! The show was designed to engage audiences of all ages, blending historical events with a modern, playful approach.

Over 700 audience members attended the performances, and after each show, families took part in heritage art workshops, making their own trinkets to take home. This hands-on activity allowed everyone to leave not just with memories of the performance, but with a personal connection to Basildon's history.