The power of narrative in museums
26.09.2025
Community, Social impact, Ideas
How stories change the world
In 2022, Eric Langham delivered a landmark presentation to his team and peers across the cultural sector on the enduring power of narrative in museums. His talk, What is narrative, was a call to remember why we tell stories in the first place.
Eric described the creation of an exhibition storyline not as a technical exercise or a sequence of design phases, but as an act of craft – like a filmmaker capturing a bold initial vision and carrying its essence through every stage of design and production.
For Eric, narrative is the invisible thread that weaves experience into memory, and meaning into emotion. As the physical and digital worlds intertwine ever more deeply, he believes narrative will become the compass guiding audiences through immersive landscapes and virtual realms.
Looking ahead, Eric remains committed to keeping narrative at the heart of cultural practice – nurturing its purpose and its profound power to connect us all.