Senior heritage expertise combined with analytical, behavioural and digital capability.
About Histopia
Histopia is an independent heritage consultancy grounded in over 20 years of senior operational experience across museums, heritage sites and the wider historic environment. This experience spans strategy, service delivery, visitor experience and organisational development, working with a range of heritage organisations and projects.
Alongside this heritage background, expertise in psychology, data analytics, AI, emerging technologies and creative production informs how projects are approached. These perspectives support deeper insight, helping organisations better understand audiences, explore ideas and develop informed, practical responses.
Histopia brings these elements together: senior heritage experience combined with behavioural insight, analytical capability and digital and creative skills. This enables a different approach to heritage work, moving between research, strategy and the development of clear, accessible materials such as reports, visualisations, digital content or concept development where appropriate.
The focus is on insight-led heritage work grounded in practical sector experience, with flexible support ranging from targeted pieces of work to broader cross-disciplinary projects.
Meet the Founder
Independent Heritage Insight Specialist & Technologist combining senior heritage experience with research, analytics and emerging technologies to support organisations, projects and audiences across the heritage sector.
Tara : Heritage Insight Specialist & Technologist
PhD (cand), MSc, BA (hons)
Histopia was founded by Tara, a heritage professional with over two decades of experience across museums, the historic environment, and public and private sector organisations. Her work focuses on insight-led heritage practice spanning research, strategy, evaluation and the development of clear, accessible materials to support decision-making and engagement.
Her career includes senior operational leadership, policy development, visitor experience and data-led transformation within local authorities and heritage organisations. This practical experience informs a grounded, delivery-focused approach, combining strategic thinking with an understanding of how heritage organisations operate in practice.
Alongside her heritage background, Tara has developed expertise in psychology, wellbeing, behavioural insight, data analytics and emerging technologies including AI and business intelligence. This combination supports a cross-disciplinary perspective, helping organisations better understand participation, measure impact and develop informed, practical responses.
Her work explores how people engage with heritage, particularly intangible cultural heritage, participation and transmission. Drawing on both professional experience and academic research, she brings a systems-level perspective to areas such as inclusion, community engagement and organisational change.
Qualifications & Professional Development
This work draws on formal qualifications, specialist training and ongoing professional development across heritage, research, analytics, psychology and emerging technologies.
