There is more to Nottingham Castle than meets the eye. Beyond its galleries, there lie extensive stores containing many more items of art, craft and textiles. These have been amassed since 1878, when the Museum & Art Gallery originally opened at Nottingham Castle.

Every box opened, every item, raises a question.

What do these objects mean to Nottingham’s communities today? What do they tell us about the past, and how might they guide us into the future? Who should tell their stories - and how?

These questions are not easy to answer – but as Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery heads towards its 150th anniversary in 2028, it’s an ideal moment to open them up to discussion.

Over recent months, the Museum’s Visual Arts curators and StoryArcs Fellow, Dr. Anna Ball have worked in collaboration with Streetwise Opera, Pamoja, Forever Young and Fearless Youth Association to explore art and objects in the stores - and the questions they raise.

This exhibition shares the powerful perspectives that community members shared during those visits - and invites you to join the discussion.

StoryArcs is an AHRC-funded research programme at Bath Spa University exploring the social uses of storytelling. Open Questions is supported by Nottingham City Museums and Galleries and the University of Nottingham.