The Museum, named the Digital Explorations Celebration & Virtual Museum, is being hosted at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium.

It is funded by the Rothschild Foundation and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, while also receiving support from the Heart of Bucks.

Through the Buckinghamshire disability and employment support charities, 17 disabled participants received professional training between 2019 and 2023, as they learned about historical research and cataloguing, digital 3D scanning, photogrammetry and editing.

The participants created a collection that includes 65 objects, which can be viewed on the sketchfab platform and the NPHT webpage, while 20 items will be shown in the Museum.

"We are proud to support NPHT’s Digital Exploration project, preserving and sharing their inspirational Paralympic heritage of international significance, through the digital innovation of 3D models and exhibitions, promoting wider access for disabled people, young people and researchers," Leona Forsyth, Rothschild Foundation's senior grants manager, said.

"This work is also helping build a local cultural sector that is inclusive, vibrant and resilient. 

"The team’s personal approach and dedication to meeting individual needs through mentoring and training is developing the life-skills and improving the quality of life and wellbeing of disabled participants, while helping build a more diverse, representative heritage workforce locally."

Caroline Peal, a Routes to Work project worker at Oasis Partnership, also spoke on the project as she is a part of the charities involved.

"Those of my clients who have taken part in the project have been inspired and enthusiastic about the experience," she said.

"It has been beneficial in supporting them gain skills and confidence for employment. 

"It helped one of them move on from a loss of confidence due to being made redundant. 

"Another flourished in the project and gained confidence even when they were struggling to find a paid role.

"Elements of the Paralympic story make it a particularly relevant focus for building skills and confidence as part of an employment support project as it incorporates - inspiration; overcoming challenges; dealing with setbacks and getting round problems; the importance of determination, dedication, focus and hard work."

Vicky Hope-Walker, the chief executive of NHPT, expressed her delight as well.

"We are absolutely delighted to be able to share the launch of the Digital Explorations Celebration & Virtual Museum today," said Hope-Walker.

"Bringing to life the Paralympic heritage and stories of human endeavour through an archive and collection of national and international, together with the creation of a website that enables people access to this unique and inspiring resource, are important parts of our strategy.

"Bringing together 3D technology and the painstakingly detailed work of our Digital Explorations Project Assistants, coupled with the fantastic financial support of our funders, and in particular the Rothschild Foundation, has allowed us to create this fantastic resource to help us realise our further ambitions of helping people to be inspired, keen to learn more and motivated to try new things."

To view the Digital Explorations Museum click here.