Introduction

Concerns for inclusion, diversity, representation, social justice and a broader understanding of what knowledge can be have moved cultural institutions (in the case of this chapter – museums, galleries, heritage sites) in the last decade to reassess and rework how and why it works with its audiences. Many have adapted working practices that might be termed ‘participatory’ or ‘co-creative’, which seek to involve visitors, non-visitors, community and interest groups with diverse forms of expertise and perspective in their activities. In parallel, members of the public, particularly those who have felt excluded, overlooked or unfairly represented in our nation's museums and galleries, have sought to form alliances with institutions to challenge the traditional models of representation (or non-representation) and gain access and exposure to new audiences and alternatives platforms for dialogue, debate and advocacy. This paper will reflect on one such partnership; that between Gendered Intelligence and the Science Museum, London and a project they developed together in 2013–14 as part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council's ‘Connected Communities’ and the Heritage Lottery Fund's ‘All Our Stories’ programmes.

The Science Museum, London, is the largest museum in the UK dedicated to the history of science, technology, medicine and innovation. It has a long history of including the public in its development to ensure its outputs are accessible, audience focused and responsive to the needs of those coming through its doors and those they hope to serve. In the past ten years this has included inviting groups (young people, artists, communities of interest, amateur historians, user groups, teachers and so on) in to the museum in order to conceive, develop, research and deliver exhibitions and programmes collaboratively with them (Boon et al, 2014; Bunning et al, 2015). The 2013–14 ‘All Our Stories’ project instigated one such partnership with Gendered Intelligence (GI) and sought to investigate how, through sharing decision making and deeply embedding a group of young adults in exhibition development processes, to readdress a problematic representation of gender in the museum's ‘Who Am I?’ gallery.

GI is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, established in 2008. Working predominantly with young trans or gender questioning people from the ages of 8 to 25, GI's aims are to increase understandings of gender diversity.