Public engagement is central to the ethos of MSDS Marine. We believe that wherever possible communities should be engaged with maritime archaeology projects. Communities that feel included with a project can be its most powerful champions, supporters, and custodians. Our approach to public engagement is innovative and can include underwater visits as with our recent Y Heritage Make a Splash project.
MSDS Marine have extensive experience in community engagement as highlighted through our recent work on the #Rooswijk1740 project which has been an exemplar project in terms of community engagement. The #Rooswijk1740 project has now run open days attended by over 1600 people, held multiple training events and engaged many more through talks and social media posts. In November 2021 the project was shortlisted for an Archaeological Achievement Award.
MSDS Marine are working with some of the latest technologies to bring maritime archaeology to the public including 3D modelling, photogrammetry, virtual reality and online virtual tours.
Heritage Hive Pop Up Exhibition Trailer
MSDS Marine own and operate a dedicated marine outreach trailer, called the Heritage Hive, that is available to take to conferences, events and to fieldwork locations during the course of our work. The trailer includes an independent power supply with TV, display space with panels that can be easily removed and updated and a counter to display material including leaflets and other documents.
The Heritage Hive is packed with hands on activities, VR equipment and other resources designed to engage all ages. The Heritage Hive adds excellent public value to all our projects and enables the team to share what they love with a wider audience.
School Visits
MSDS Marine regularly undertake school visits to share our work with young people. We are able to tailor our visits to suit the requirements of the school and have received excellent feedback. All MSDS Marine staff who undertake school visits and work with young people hold current DBS certificates. Contact us today to see how we can support your school.
Web Tours, Virtual Reality and Presentation of Data
The presentation and dissemination of maritime archaeology is essential to the continued interest and development of the profession. As archaeologists we believe that the results of work should be made available to everyone and we are continuing to develop new and exciting ways in which to engage audiences and present our results. We use online platforms such as Sketchfab to provide easily accessible access to 3D models that have been created both as part of our work or specifically for dissemination, our models can also be viewed in virtual reality using headsets such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and mobile headsets.
MSDS Marine work closely with the digital heritage reconstruction company ArtasMedia to produce web based virtual tours of archaeological sites. These tours combine the results of research, geophysical and hydrographic survey and CGI modelling coupled with the presentation of other media such as photos and video to create an immersive and informative online experience. All the tours are compatible with virtual reality headsets and can be viewed on computers, tablets and mobile phones. The most recent tours produced have been for Submarine U8, a German vessel sunk off the Kent coast in 1915, which can be found here and for the #Rooswijk1740 protected wreck site which can be round here.
Protected Wreck Top Trumps
To help people find out more about England’s protected wreck sites we have created Protected Wreck Top Trumps. The card game is a great way to find out more in a fun and accessible way for all ages. It has been created by MSDS Marine for you to enjoy with your family and friends. Find out more about the cards and how to order them here.
