Playful Heritage

Our Playful Heritage programme brings to life complex histories through play and participation. We work with a range of partners to engage diverse audiences with heritage, encouraging meaningful discussion through interactive experiences. We collaborate with a range of partners to do this, including:

• museums
• archives
• university departments
• heritage sites
• local communities

These experiences may take the form of immersive theatre, smartphone-led audio adventures, conversation games, game design workshops, or live events. In the last few years, we have worked with a range of heritage partners, including the National Archives, the National Trust, Flag Fen Archeology Park, Kensington Palace, Imperial War Museums and the Natural History Museum.

The Playful Heritage programme strives to unpack and explore ‘difficult’ or contested parts of British history, such as colonialism, empire, protest, and climate action. We create accessible, engaging projects that aim to make collections and heritage sites more relevant to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Frequently, our projects celebrate untold stories, marginalised voices and alternative narratives. We work with a diverse and inclusive network of artists, partners, young people and communities. Through Coney’s expertise in site-specific and interactive design, we create sensitive experiences for staff and audiences to learn about history in ways that feel relevant, collaborative, playful, and action-focused.