North Lanarkshire Muslim Women & Family Alliance
Traces of Empire
Community voices exploring empire, memory and belonging at Summerlee Museum.
History told through lived experience
Traces of Empire is the exhibition outcome of Empowering Women through Digital Inclusion & Conversational English. Co-created with community groups, it shares participants’ voices and reflections on communities impacted by the British Empire.
Oral histories, workshops and storytelling bring personal experience into conversations about history, migration and identity. Women’s family memories sit alongside wider historical themes, giving space to accounts not always represented in mainstream history.
A launch centred on community voices
NLMWA and WSREC gathered with community members and partners for the launch on 3 October 2026. Facilitated by Jamilah Hassan and formally opened by Councillor Jim Logue, the event included reflections on education and Partition.
The community books My Hero and Our Kitchen offered further ways to preserve women’s words, family memories and cultural knowledge.
Visit the exhibition
The exhibition opened to the public on Sunday 4 October 2026 at Summerlee Museum, Coatbridge ML5 1QD, with free entry for three weeks.
Delivered in partnership with North Lanarkshire Council and Historic Environment Scotland, it welcomes families, young people, older visitors, community organisations and anyone interested in our shared history.
