You can create your own Cornell-inspired treasure box at home. It’s a fun and simple challenge if you have a shoebox or an old picture frame (or any other box with a transparent lid) lying around at home. An A6 or A5-size box is ideal – though you can use square boxes, too.

To create the background for your treasure box, you could use a piece of patterned wrapping paper, an old map, or a page from a magazine.

Now it’s time to create your own personal story. Gather small objects that mean or symbolize something to you. Cornell filled his shadow boxes with feathers, pipes, shells and marbles. You could include things like passport photos, puzzle pieces, scrabble letters, old stamps, photos, or clippings from magazines and newspapers.

You will need glue and scissors or a craft knife to cut out fine details. To raise things up in the box to create a sense of depth, use a layer of cardboard underneath the image or objects. To hang objects from the top of the box, use wire or string.

Arrange your objects and images in an interesting and quirky way. Take a look at Cornell’s shadow boxes, which often told stories or captured the feel of a distant time or a faraway place.

Here’s Cornell’s version. How did yours go? Tweet us a picture @royalacademy with #JosephCornell.