Andrew Wrenn builds upon current, popular and practical work on ‘interpretations of history' analysed in recent editions. Using the public's responses to the temporary exhibition on the slave trade housed at Bristol City Museum, he offers a range of fascinating practical activities for Year 9 pupils. Many of these could be carried out without visiting the slave trade exhibition in Bristol and some could be adapted to suit visits to other museum exhibitions of controversial events. Like Tony McAleavy in his seminal article on interpretations in 1993 (Teaching History 72), he emphasises the need for professional clarity about the purpose of ‘interpretations' work as well as the way in which it merges with other aspects of pupils' growing historical knowledge and understanding.