University of Cambridge Museums Practitioner Research Library

In our fast-evolving cultural landscape, museums are reimagining their roles—not just as custodians of history, but as spaces for collaboration, dialogue, and active participation. This library has been curated for museum practitioners, researchers, and cultural professionals committed to exploring innovative ways of working with communities and fostering inclusivity through action research.

What is Participatory Action Research?

Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a collaborative and iterative approach to research that emphasizes action, reflection, and the co-creation of knowledge. Rooted in principles of inclusion, empowerment, and shared decision-making, PAR provide opportunities for people of different ages, backgrounds and interests to come together to design enquiries which respond to the issues and challenges that matter to them. Together, practitioners and participants can identify challenges, design solutions, and implement meaningful change.

In the context of museums, PAR has the potential to transform how institutions engage with their audiences. It shifts the focus from education or entertainment to fostering a mutual exchange of knowledge, values, and experiences. This approach is particularly powerful in addressing the urgent issues of our time such as decolonization, representation, accessibility, and relevance to diverse audiences.

The Museum Practitioner Research Library is a living collection of reports and case studies, created by the University of Cambridge Museums. Research reports and briefing papers are written by practitioners researching their own practice. You can find out more about our Practitioner Research Programme here.

Funded by the Research England Participatory Research Fund (supported by Collections-Connections-Communities)