Mindfulness in the Museum

Take a moment to breathe, relax and enjoy the art and culture around you.

This mindfulness session at RAMM will explore artefacts relating to geology & mammals in the Down to Earth gallery through guided breathing and meditation exercises. This is the last of five sessions guided by experienced mindfulness teacher Jo Gosling. You are welcome to join this session even if you haven’t attended previous sessions.

Mindfulness is a popular and valuable skill for self-care that can support our wellbeing. It helps us to connect with the present moment through our senses which, in turn, can deepen our appreciation of artefacts and works of art. If you’re curious, then learning the basics of mindfulness in the museum galleries is a wonderful first step towards bringing it into your everyday life. Cultivate awareness of your senses and breathing whilst learning to look at objects in a different way.

Although your learning process will begin in the gallery, it does not end there; the practice of letting thoughts come and go while looking at an object, without getting caught up or carried away by them, can be transferred to real life situations to improve your mental health.

What to expect

Jo Gosling will start each session with a brief calming meditation and a short introduction to mindfulness.

Each week will focus on a different theme and take a close look at a few artefacts in the museum. You will contemplate them in different ways and cultivate an awareness of your experience as you look and use our senses through handling objects. There is no right or wrong to your experience.

The weekly themes are:
1. 18th July: The ocean – focus on Sladen’s Study gallery
2. 1st August: Birds – focus on the In Fine Feather gallery
3. 15th August: World Textiles – focus on the World Cultures gallery
4. 29th August: Ornamentation – focus on the World Cultures gallery
5. 10 October: Geology & Mammals – focus on the Down to Earth gallery

You will spend some time in quiet reflection, either sitting or standing (whichever works best for you) and some time discussing your experience.

Session details

You can either book a one-off session or a number of them. A 10% discount applies when booking all five.

We ask all participants to arrive 5-10 minutes beforehand for a prompt start, and to avoid any interruptions.

Chairs and stools will be provided, but please feel free to bring a cushion or whatever would make your experience more comfortable.

Who are the sessions for?

People over the age of 18 who have an interest in spending time in a calm space and would like to connect more closely with artefacts in our galleries. Booking is essential and limited to 12 spaces.

About Jo Gosling

Jo is a registered Mindfulness teacher. She has a longstanding mindfulness practice with extensive training at Bangor and Exeter Universities. She runs mindfulness retreats at Sharpham House, Devon, having previously worked for decades in the NHS. Teaching Mindful Self-Compassion led to a change of direction in life and she is now studying an MA in Fine Art at Plymouth College of Art.