Blackpool being built on laughs has been our blueprint for Showtown

People have been flocking to Blackpool for more than 150 years to unwind and escape their daily lives – finding their smiles watching music hall performances, cheering at Punch and Judy shows, and now laughing inside Blackpool’s new museum of fun and entertainment.

Showtown opened in March, next door but one to Blackpool Tower, and has already seen more than 50,000 visitors chuckle, titter and whoop their way around the displays and interactives. 

The idea that Blackpool was built on laughs was at the forefront of our exhibition and the design process for the visitor experience. Knowing Showtown’s audience would be predominantly non-traditional museum-goers, coupled with a competitive tourist attraction environment, motivated us to create a unique museum vibe. 

Exhibition design company Casson Mann and a comedy panel guided the interpretive design conversations around what kind of experiences make you laugh out loud and feel nostalgic. We knew we had to create big reactions with our internationally significant stories of magic, comedy, dance, circus and seaside fun. 

Laughter is heard from every corner of Showtown, whether you are being taught to tightrope walk by our ringmaster or playing with the pitch and volume of the magic gallery’s whoopee cushion interactive. Visitors spontaneously re-enact their favourite performers’ catchphrases in front of wardrobes full of costumes that have been worn by some of the greats, including Morecambe and Wise. Multi-generational families are seen laughing at each other dancing along to our “Evolution of Dance” interactive screen and are excited to see their faces in comical scenarios on a 15m audiovisual of the beach.

Playing with northern turns-of-phrase within our interpretation was important to ensure that visitors are warmed up, ready to laugh and learn. These heavily researched and considered key messages may be delivered on custard pies and seagull splats, but our visitors leave understanding the massive impact Blackpool has had on British entertainment and popular culture. 

We have been working with Blackpool’s pool of talented comedians and performers to develop a programme of activity aimed at improving wellbeing and resilience through comedy courses for young people and adults recruited through health and social services. We have also developed a town-wide comedy festival and a comedian-in-residence programme. 

Comedian and writer Ruth E Cockburn grew up in a Blackpool bed and breakfast and has been with us from the start of this journey. She says: “I am so proud of the work I’ve done with Showtown, from co-writing scripts for museum AVs with performance artist Harry Clayton-Wright to creating a comedy gameshow with the new staff.

Researching the archive has made sure all the work created has an authentic feel, and not only reflects the past, but also looks to the future of Blackpool’s cultural significance. Open Up the Mic [the comedy course she has developed with Showtown] is a highlight of my working life. Creating a course that takes a group of young people from nervous strangers to a group of comics and friends is such a great feeling. Comedy is all about the society we live in – and the young people have shown me so much.”

Cockburn builds people’s confidence through a mix of games, socialising and mic techniques before they perform a show in the Blackpool Comedy Station Club. They learn about Blackpool’s entertainment history, types of comedy and how to turn difficult life circumstances into funny stories. The comedians they meet along the way provide coping mechanisms for the frustrations felt by the young people due to neurodiversity and social anxieties.

Comedy has been an invaluable tool in the development of Showtown’s exhibitions, engagement programmes, visitor experience, staff training and wellbeing – creating a joyful experience for everyone. And we’re only just getting started.

Kerry Vasiliou is the learning and engagement manager at Showtown, Blackpool