ABSTRACT
The Egypt Centre, Swansea University, houses around 6,000 objects from Egypt and the surrounding ancient world. The museum works closely with Swansea University lecturers to enhance teaching and research across a plethora of disciplines. The response to the Covid-19 pandemic was swift and innovative as the museum had to shut its doors to the public. This essay focuses on online content aimed at adult learners, notably the launch of a series of short virtual courses. To do so, it reflects upon the impact of these courses and the benefits of object-based learning in a virtual capacity to engage wider audiences. It then highlights the importance of this increased accessibility on a global scale, and the resulting positive mental impact upon adult learners during the pandemic. Finally, it assesses resources implemented to increase audience accessibility and positive interactions, including deploying a course moderator, encouraging virtual exploration of the collection using the online catalog, and the inclusion of virtual “trails” in English, Welsh, and Egyptian Arabic. Ultimately, this essay considers the impact of the introduction of this wider range of online content for adult learners, and how this new level of interaction and accessibility can continue to thrive.
