• Projects > East Sussex Record Office in Lewes
  

Rachel Murphy has transformed her personal interest in the history of medicine into a journey through 400 years of archived records by putting a computer into a medical trolley, to let people explore attitudes towards health and illness from the 16th Century to the present day. You view the documents in the Mobile Medical Archive Unit by pushing the trolley around. Sensors map the movement of the trolley to the files on the screen so you can navigate around documents including letters, pamphlets and hospital floor plans by moving the trolley.

The East Sussex Records Office in Lewes holds a wealth of historical documents, many of which are fragile and require delicate handling. By having a selection of these documents in the unit they can be presented to the public in a more robust and interactive way.

Rachel wanted to make something that was an alternative to the more usual ‘point-and-click’ way of using a computer and a new way for people to see the past. Through moving the trolley to see the diverse range of documents, Rachel is expressing the theme of Navigating History literally, as well as metaphorically.

Location Details
Address
East Sussex Record Office in Lewes
The Maltings
Castle Precincts
Lewes BN7 1YT
Tel: 01273 482349
Link to map (which opens in a new window)

Wheelchair access to ground floor.

Opening Times
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
8.45 –16.45
Wednesday
9.30 –16.45
Friday
8.45 –16.15
Second Saturday of month
9.00 –13.00 & 14.00 –16.45