Mythstories
Charity 1161594
Overview
Summary
Mythstories appears to have evolved from a place-based storytelling museum into a predominantly digital cultural resource. Its distinctive role is not simply preserving stories, but using oral tradition to connect heritage, landscape, creativity and communication. The closure of its public museum in 2022 creates a significant operating-model shift: the organisation’s collection and educational purpose now seem to be carried through online stories, downloadable learning materials and a digital museum guide, while its website remains active despite describing itself as no longer updated.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- The Charity Commission's current register entry lists Birmingham City among the places where Mythstories operates, but does not identify any Birmingham venue, ward, project, delivery partner, service dates or beneficiary group.
- No current Birmingham-based physical site is evidenced. Mythstories' registered contact address is in Shrewsbury, and its official website says its physical museum was open to the public only until 2022.
- A project evaluation on Mythstories' website refers to a Young Storyteller of the Year competition in Birmingham, but the evaluation is dated 2013 and does not demonstrate current Birmingham delivery or identify a location within the city.
- The official website makes learning resources and an online museum available digitally, but this does not evidence place-based operational activity in any Birmingham ward or recognised place.
Additional evidence needed
- The most recent trustees' annual report or project/impact report identifying activities delivered in Birmingham during or after the financial year ending 31 March 2025.
- Confirmation from Mythstories of any current Birmingham delivery venues, commissioned projects, schools, libraries, cultural partners or regular event locations.
- Evidence showing whether Birmingham remains an active delivery geography rather than a legacy area retained in the Charity Commission return.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Education/training
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A museum purpose now carried through digital access
Mythstories appears to be sustaining its educational and collection-based mission after the closure of its physical museum by making stories, learning materials and a digital guide available online.
Why it matters
This suggests that its reach may no longer depend on visitors being able to access a single venue. It also raises a useful question about whether digital access has broadened participation or replaced forms of local engagement that the museum enabled.
Show evidence
“It became a real life museum in 1999 and opened to the public until 2022.”
Source:Organisation“The learning materials and stories are made available free for educational journeys.”
Source:Organisation“Its objects include providing a museum and preserving its collection.”
Source:Charity Commission
Storytelling is used as civic infrastructure, not only cultural interpretation
The organisation appears to treat traditional tales as a practical medium for literacy, communication and community cohesion, rather than as heritage content to be preserved in isolation.
Why it matters
This positions Mythstories between heritage, informal education and social connection. It may therefore be complementary to schools, family services, libraries and community-development organisations, even where their stated missions differ.
Show evidence
“Mythstories works with words, keeping oral heritage alive.”
Source:Organisation“We use storytelling as a gateway to literacy and communication skills.”
Source:Organisation“We share stories for community cohesion.”
Source:Organisation
Local grounding is paired with unusually broad cultural scope
Mythstories appears to anchor storytelling in Shropshire and Welsh landscape while presenting tales from several world regions. This may indicate an approach that connects local belonging with wider cultural curiosity.
Why it matters
The combination could make the organisation a bridge between place-based heritage and multicultural learning. It would be worth exploring whose stories are selected, interpreted and represented, particularly after the museum’s closure.
Show evidence
“The website includes Shropshire Stories and Welsh Stories.”
Source:Organisation“The website includes Canadian, Asian, African, Central and South American, and Eastern European stories.”
Source:Organisation“Mythstories links stories to landscape.”
Source:Organisation
- Whether Mythstories remains an active charity with current programmes, or mainly maintains a legacy digital resource.
- How the closure of the museum affected local users, partnerships, collection access and financial sustainability.
- Whether young people and families remain the principal users of its current online provision.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports, accounts and trustee reports showing current activity, income, staffing and strategic priorities.
- Evidence of current users, partner organisations, geographic reach and outcomes from educational or community activity.
- Information on the location, ownership, access arrangements and ongoing care of the collection after 2022.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Mythstories works with words, keeping oral heritage alive. We run a museum; organise projects and events to celebrate the heritage art of storytelling; link stories to landscape; share stories for community cohesion. We use storytelling as a gateway to literacy and communication skills. All age groups get involved in projects or visit the museum. Users are usually young people and families.
Charity objects
TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC: (1) BY THE PROVISION OF A MUSEUM COMPRISING THE PROPERTY OF THE CIO TOGETHER WITH SUCH OTHER EXHIBITS OR ITEMS AS MAY FROM TIME TO TIME BE COMPRISED IN THE PROPERTY OF THE CIO AND TO PRESERVE THE SAME AS A COLLECTION ("THE COLLECTION"); (2) THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF MYTHS AND STORIES AND ORAL ARTS PERFORMANCES WHETHER OR NOT IN THE MUSEUM OR BY SUCH OTHER MEANS AS THE TRUSTEES IN THEIR ABSOLUTE DISCRETION SHALL DETERMINE.