Share your #MaskSelfie with us and help document the coronavirus pandemic for future generations
Venture outside at the moment – whether to buy essentials, travel to work or for daily exercise – and you’ll often see people wearing a mask or face covering. Perhaps you have worn one too.
From scarfs to surgical masks, many of us are covering our nose and mouth to protect ourselves and others from the coronavirus.
The current Government advice is to wear ‘face coverings’ on public transport or in shops where social distancing is difficult. Scientific evidence supports this, suggesting masks and face coverings may help curb the pandemic by stopping those who are infectious but symptom-free from infecting others.
Homemade masks are an increasingly common sight, combining infection control with ingenuity, unique design and materials. They illustrate both medical and personal responses to the pandemic, providing an opportunity to publicly express our personality and identity at a time when normal social interactions are challenging.
To help capture a snapshot of life during the pandemic, we’re asking you to submit a selfie with your homemade mask.
Homemade mask selfies, l-r: Briony, Binita, Misty and Will.
Share your #MaskSelfie with us on social media (by tagging @sciencemuseum on Twitter or Instagram) or via email and we’ll display it below, documenting your unique responses to coronavirus through homemade masks. We can’t wait to discover the stories behind your homemade masks.
Later, once it’s safe to do so, we aim to add a selection of these masks to the Science Museum Group Collection (we’ll be in touch if we are interested in your mask) as part of our Collecting COVID-19 Project.
For your own safety, please do not post any masks to us now.
Together with prototype medical devices, ‘Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives’ signage from the Government’s daily briefing and other coronavirus related items, the homemade masks that join our collection will provide a permanent record of medical, scientific, cultural and personal responses to the pandemic.
Homemade masks
Chloe’s homemade mask features a satin stitch rainbow rose and the phrase ‘this too shall pass’ in back stitch. Chloe says ‘I love sewing, but didn’t always find the time before lockdown. Now I sew almost every day. The bright colours always cheer me up a little as I try to muster the confidence to overcome my social anxiety and go grocery shopping.’
The masks worn by Rebecca and Tom in this selfie were made by Rebecca’s mum in Cornwall. Rebecca works in a hospital as a pharmacy technician and so has been travelling to work throughout the pandemic. Rebecca’s mum has made over a hundred masks for her friends and family members, and some of my friends so that they can safely travel to/from work on public transport.
Laurence’s mask was made by his colleague’s wife in Royal Mail red to help protect him on his rounds.
Laurence has been a postman for thirty years exactly this week. As a key worker he has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic on the front line.
Nina’s friend had sewn these amazing face coverings to raise money for charities and to support Nina purchased a few to protect herself.
This was Nina’s first time wearing the mask at the supermarket, ‘it felt strange but these are strange times ….hence the selfie! The photo is a bit tongue and cheek, I’m protecting myself from the Corona!’
Gina with her mask.
Sazza is caring for her young daughter at home and decided to make her family fun makes (including masks) to brighten their days out.
Gill’s mask was made by my friend. Her selfie was taken at a Black Lives Matter meeting.
Mary with her homemade mask.
Matthew, with one of the masks he’s made after learning to sew during lockdown.
Sarah made this three-layer mask (which has an internal pocket to insert a filter) using fabric samples she found in the loft.
This is one of 7 different masks made by Carla, one for each day of the week. The outside of this one is made from an old quilting cotton dyed in woad blue.
Andrew with his tartan mask.
Denise has been making masks for herself, friends and family. This is the first mask she made.
Alison with her mask. Alison misses visiting galleries and museums!
This is one of around 130 masks made by David’s wife Susan for family and friends, some of whom work in the NHS.
Lisa’s mask is made from a pair of 1960s cotton curtains that used to belong to her late nan.
Rebecca with a homemade mask made by her mum.
Marc with his homemade mask.
Rich and his homemade mask.
Wendy has made over 20 of these four-layer masks for family and school-based colleagues.
Jenny with her mask.
Kevin works for London Underground (as you can tell from his mask) and says it has been interesting to see London gently coming back to life.
Marta with one of her homemade masks.
Kate with her mask. Kate works at a hospice in York.
Anthony’s mask was made for him by his wife Abigail. Anthony has been wearing it on the supermarket shop but it’s now a bit wrinkly after washing!
Gemma’s mum made this mask from material she posted to her. Gemma loves the fact that the pattern looks a bit like the coronavirus – ‘it’s my COVID-y COVID mask’!
Kate’s mask is made out of an old tote bag and a couple of hair bands. It’s double layered with room for a kitchen towel insert to act as a filter. It took Kate and her rusty sewing skills several episodes of the Great British Sewing Bee to complete!
Karen, with her mask travelling on the train from Hamburg to Berlin at the end of May on her way back to London. Face masks are mandatory on public transport in Germany, at Berlin Tegel airport and on BA flights. The outer layer is made from a cotton napkin and the inner layer from an old t-shirt.
— 🧬🔬Dr Konichiwakitty👩🔬🧪 (@konichiwakitty) June 26, 2020
I’ve just given plasma as part of the NHS Convalescent Plasma Trial. I’m super squeamish but the nurses were brilliant & I’m really happy my bout of Covid might help someone else. Do consider signing up – they need more donors: https://t.co/BWCD9dcPy6pic.twitter.com/NxKvI7zOX1
@sciencemuseum here’s my #MaskSelfie – I made masks for my whole family from Liberty-print offcuts lined w an old pillowcase! Mine have pipe cleaners along the top edge to improve fit and minimise steaming-up of glasses. pic.twitter.com/eou1LlhZaK
— Lily Crowther has gone to Bluesky (@LilCrowther) June 26, 2020
