Curating with Communities for Well-being: Exploring an Amgueddfa Cymru–National Museum Wales Biocultural Collection through Community Workshops

Abstract

Biocultural collections include specimens of plant and animal origin, artefacts and documentation. They are important resources for the conservation of biological and cultural diversity, as well as for education and research. Curation of biocultural collections at Amgueddfa Cymru–National Museum Wales is underpinned by the unique legislative framework, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015). This article presents the findings of a series of six workshops with a range of community groups invited to discuss how the Amgueddfa Cymru Economic Botany Collection can build public understanding of biodiversity and fulfil its well-being duty. Findings indicate participant interest in the collection as a resource that can support learning about the multiple values of plants, the diverse cultural heritage linked to plants and the community connections the collection can support, including within and across cultures, practices and places.