Archive or publish? An ethical approach to dealing with sensitive stories

© SeventyFour Images / Alamy Stock Foto Two people are standing in a gallery looking at black and white photographs on the wall. One of them is resting their head on the others shoulder.

© SeventyFour Images / Alamy Stock Foto

The Red Star Line Museum in Belgium has developed a practical tool to address how museums can responsibly handle personal stories that touch on sensitive themes. This resource outlines how the museum navigates questions of privacy, well-being, and safety when working with contemporary migration narratives.

The Red Star Line Museum holds a rich collection of maritime heritage related to the history of the Red Star Line, along with an extensive archive of personal migration stories. Many of these stories involve individuals who are still living and may find themselves in vulnerable situations, such as refugees or those speaking about others in their interviews. To ensure these accounts are treated with care, the museum has implemented an ethical framework supported by a legal structure, risk analysis, and workflow. These measures guide decisions on how stories are collected, preserved, documented, and shared while respecting personal privacy and safety.

At the heart of this approach is a risk analysis tool, which helps identify sensitive aspects and assess potential impacts before making stories accessible. This process ensures that individuals feel safe when sharing their experiences and can trust that their narratives will only be published following a thorough ethical review.