Captain Cook Birthplace Museum

Growing bonds between people, Country and community

Voices of the Land is a permanent exhibition at the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Middlesbrough.

The exhibition celebrates the enduring cultures of Australia’s First Peoples, foregrounding the deep and interconnected relationships between people, Country, and community. The exhibition brings together a rich range of artefacts focusing on storytelling, visual art, craft, and ceremony. Each element offers insight and reflection on Aboriginal culture.

Field were commissioned by Middlesbrough Museums to develop the exhibition’s overall identity and interpretive approach. This included the design of graphic materials, spatial layouts, and display cases, creating a cohesive experience that connects narrative, object, and environment.

Central to the project was the collaboration with Renee Keeffe, an Australian First Nations Museum Assistant Curator and Researcher. Her involvement ensured that the exhibition moved beyond a traditional Western curatorial lens, embedding Aboriginal perspectives throughout. This partnership informed both the narrative direction, design decisions and artefact selection, supporting a respectful and contemporary representation of cultural heritage.

The resulting exhibition creates space for reflection, learning, and connection. Strengthening understanding of Aboriginal cultures while fostering a deeper appreciation of the relationships that bind people to Country and community.