Cultural learning and historical memory: a research agenda

Over the past two decades, there have been significant developments in the field of cultural
learning. In museums, galleries, archives, and in myriad informal educational activities, children
and adults have been encouraged to identify, explore, and celebrate their heritages in an
attempt to combat social exclusion and promote individual and collective well-being. This
paper argues that projects for cultural learning are important educational interventions, but
their operation and outcomes are matters that require further research. In particular, cultural
learning offers opportunities for historians of education to critically engage with important
topics around history, memory, and identity. Yet, this critical engagement will also require reconsidering
and refining the theoretical models currently popular in the history of education.