The Dancing in Museums Project

Everything is not as it seems in The Imagination Museum. Allow us to introduce you to Mildred, Henry and Harriet, three eccentric tour-guides who will bring to life a series of museum artefacts through words and movement.

The Imagination Museum (original version) is a children's dance theatre piece created in collaboration with writer Anna Selby and composer Max Perryment which has been designed for promenade performances in museums and heritage sites as part of the Dancing in Museums project. Alongside our performances, we also deliver creative dance workshops for children aged 7-11. Click here to read more information about those workshops.

Since 2013 we have shared different adaptations of The Imagination Museum with more than 80 museums across the UK. More than 20,000 people have engaged with the work through watching a performance or joining a workshop, and the majority of those have been able to join in with the project for free. 

The creation of The Imagination Museum was funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and the early development was also supported by Lincolnshire County Council, Fund NK and Derbyshire County Council. Videos of previous performances are available at the following links: Boston Guildhall, the Beaney Museum, Canterbury, and the Horniman Museum (from 3.09 onwards).

We are proudly Fantastic for Families and have signed up to the Family Arts Standards. The Fantastic for Families badge below indicates that The Imagination Museum is an event with particular appeal to families, and can be enjoyed by people of all generations attending together.



This page relates to the original version of The Imagination Museum, but please visit www.imaginationmuseum.co.uk if you would like to join The Imagination Museum dance/heritage professional network for those interested in using dance and movement to respond to museum collections and heritage sites.

Dancers: Robert Guy, Jessamin Landamore-Coyne and Lucy Starkey; joined in 2016 by Sarah Blanc, Joe Garbett, Megan Griffiths and Chloe Mead

Writing: Anna Selby

Composition: Max Perryment

Costume design: Berit Laageide

Stage design: James Perkins

Dramaturg/guest practitioner: Dr Tom Cornford

Choreographic mentor: Niki McCretton

Produced by Danielle Rose (2016) and Kate McStraw (2017)

Company Producer Claire Morton

Photo by Pari Naderi; dancers Robert Guy, Jessamin Landamore-Coyne and Lucy Starkey
The Imagination Museum; Photo Chris Nash
The Imagination Museum; Photo Chris Nash
The Imagination Museum; Photo Chris Nash
The Imagination Museum; Photo Pari Naderi
The Imagination Museum; Photo Pari Naderi
The Imagination Museum; Photo Pari Naderi
The Imagination Museum; Photo Pari Naderi
The Imagination Museum; Photo Pari Naderi
The Imagination Museum; Photo Pari Naderi
From my personal point of view it was wonderful to see the Zoology Museum brought to life in such a creative and vibrant way. For me the piece promoted the curiosity and joy people can, and hopefully do feel when they visit a museum.
Laura Beare, University of Aberdeen Zoology Museum,
a sweet triumph of bodies making question marks in time and space
Daniel B Yates, Exeunt Magazine,
I found it enchanting, as did my 8 year old daughter. Thought-provoking. Entertaining use of an already stimulating space.
Audience feedback, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum,
"This was a truly wonderful and magical experience for our children. This was the first time any of them had seen contemporary dance and it sparked their imagination!"
Teacher feedback, performances at Discovery Museum, Newcastle,
'The Imagination Museum' worked brilliantly for our diverse audience...everyone enjoyed it ...it was creative, educational and most of all fun!
Mitch Robertson, the Beaney Museum Canterbury,
"Awesome. Grinned from ear to ear all the way through."
Audience feedback, the Discovery Museum, Newcastle,
‘The Imagination Museum’ is always changing, as no two museums or heritage sites are the same – this brings extra challenges, but means that the work is always very alive and responsive to its environment.
Arts Council Midlands Project Profile,
It was very entertaining and created a special atmosphere at the same time.
Audience feedback from the Fitzwilliam Museum,
Lucy Starkey disappeared and then called to us from a hiding place in the gallery upstairs. This had a feeling of a childhood game of tag about it – a playful ‘come and find me’
Hugh Chapman,
For me Dancing in Museums is part of a broader desire to move professional dance into different contexts," says Green. "I want to take it into places where people haven’t necessarily seen it before.
Rebecca Atkinson, Museums Association Project Profile,
Really enjoyed by 6 and 8 year olds and parents. Playful, joyful and beautiful. Thank you.
Audience feedback, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum,
It's about stories and storytelling and about people connecting with the heritage of their local area. My work is often about developing the idea of where we are from…We found so much material in the museum and every object, even a fragment of pot, a Roman coin or piece of flint which at one time was a point of an axe, tells a huge story.
Dawn Hinsley, Lincolnshire Echo Preview,
A modern way to visit a classical museum.
Audience feedback from the Fitzwilliam Museum,

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