Govanhill Open Museum Project to Bring Heritage to Life in Govanhill
Govanhill Open Museum, a new community-led heritage project, is launching at the beginning of June, and will bring local memories out to our neighbourhood’s streets.
Funded by the Glasgow City Heritage Trust, the pilot phase will bring the community together to share their stories about the architecture, people, and culture of Govanhill. These will be used to collaboratively design a local heritage trail, starting with a mural that will sit in the heart of the neighbourhood.
Govanhill is full of memories. Our tenement blocks have seen generations of people come and go. They have been filled with the scents of countless home-cooked dinners, from tatties to curry to stuffed cabbage. Our historic buildings stand as iconic features of the local landscape: Dixon Halls, Samaritan House, the Library, the Baths, the Picture House, schools, pubs, and cafes, to name but a few.
These memories are our history, which has been made by and belongs to ordinary people. Our memories unite us as a community, and we mustn’t let them fade. That is why Govanhill Open Museum is taking local heritage to where the people are: our streets.
Whether you’re a born-and-bred Govanhillian or made your home here more recently, everyone has stories and memories to share, tucked away in a drawer or saved on their phone.
Govanhill is a unique neighbourhood with an incredibly rich history and cultural heritage. The Housing Association has been instrumental in preserving many of the neighbourhood’s historic buildings, and as such we’re delighted to continue supporting the physical regeneration of the area through a heritage-based initiative like Govanhill Open Museum.
—Annie MacFarlane, local resident and chair of Govanhill Housing Association
"This project is a great opportunity to involve all generations in Govanhill. Having something outside where it is free for all to see is a great idea."
— Rosemary Kerr Scott residentIt's a good idea to listen to the older residents of Govanhill and for the local history to be visible in the streets.
— Jurek Gruszka, resident
Govanhill Open Museum’s goal is to make heritage an inherent part of our residents' everyday lives and turn our streets into a learning environment where going about our day feels like an exploration. Heritage doesn’t just belong to books, audio-recordings, and museums, it belongs to ordinary people.
— Marzanna Antoniak and Marion Eele, project leads
As a team who extend Glasgow Museums’ collections beyond the walls of buildings, The Open Museum is delighted to support this project where conversations amongst neighbours will help unravel the rich built, natural and intangible cultural heritage of Govanhill and bring it out into the streets so it’s accessible to everyone.
— Chris Jamieson, Glasgow Museums
Join the online launch event for Govanhill Open Museum on June 3rd at 6pm.
Ken MacDougall, the recently retired Head of Development & Regeneration at Govanhill Housing Association for almost 40 years, will give a talk entitled ‘The Changing Face of Govanhill’ – reflections on 40 years of housing-led community-based regeneration. Ken has been at the heart of much of the physical regeneration in the area, including overseeing the Samaritan Hospital Development. Nobody knows the history of our tenements better.
Other ways to get involved include joining one of our Govanhill Open Museum focus groups or filling in the survey which will be launched soon in collaboration with local partners.* The focus groups will start to meet in late June, online and, if possible, in person. They will provide an opportunity to meet other people, trade fond local memories and share ideas to shape what Govanhill Open Museum will look like in the future.
Sign up for the launch event and the focus groups here.
Follow the project on Facebook and at www.govanhill.info/govanhill-open-museum
This project is a collaboration between Govanhill Community Development Trust (GCDT), Govanhill Housing Association, Community Renewal – Rom Romeha, and Glasgow Museums, working under the Thriving Places banner. All partners share a dedication to fostering a sense of shared pride and belonging through inclusive community engagement, building on existing assets, and making heritage accessible to all. Together, they bring expertise in facilitating cultural projects and an in-depth knowledge of Govanhill and its people. In character with our diverse neighbourhood, they also speak several local languages.
* The heritage survey is a collaboration between Govanhill Baths, GAMIS, Big Noise Govanhill, and GCDT under the Thriving Places initiative. In the next phase of the project, Govanhill Open Museum will expand in collaboration with more local partners.