NEMO EMC attendees continued to explore museums' role in polarised societies

The first panel of the day explored the role of museums in polarising times, questioning whether they should remain neutral spaces or take a more active social stance. Moderated by Vera Carasso (Dutch Museums Association and NEMO Board Member), speakers tackled the balance between advocacy and neutrality in a climate of heightened social and political awareness. Patricia Rahemipour (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) discussed how museums to a greater extent move toward social and political engagement, and whether this aligns with public expectations of museums as neutral spaces. According to a study, the public do want museums to take a stand. Maria Vlachou (Acesso Cultura) examined the ‘paradox of democracy’ in museums, arguing that even ‘neutral’ institutions must eventually confront real-world issues. Rather than neutral, should we say impartial? Finally, Charis Gullickson (Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum) joined digitally to share insights of the project ‘Museer er ikke nøytrale’, detailing how art museums can take activist roles.

Next up were five fast-paced presentations by 7 speakers on navigating sensitive topics within museums. Moderated by Rebecca Thonander (NEMO), speakers shared practical insights on handling public criticism, fostering community dialogue, and managing institutional reputations amid backlash. First up were Rašeljka Bilić Boras (Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media) and Ivor Crotty (Digital storyteller and educator), who reflected on the polarised perspectives within art museums. Jana Golombek (LWL Industrial Museum Zollern) joined digitally to share experiences of right-wing populist attacks on the exhibition ‘That’s Colonial’. Cecilie Rørstad and Ingvill Naalsund (Viti) detailed a public controversy surrounding LGBTQIA+ representation in exhibitions and how the museum responded to political pushback.

Aivi Ross (Estonian National Museum) described how her museum fosters conversations and build bridges between diverse language and cultural communities. To wrap up the session, Stephanie Bonnici (European Cultural Foundation) talked about bridging generational divides to inspire resilience and social change. In the coffee break following the session, conference participants were invited to ask questions to the Slam presenters in an informal Meet-up.

After some engaging discussions during the break, the conference programme commenced with a session on political influence in museums, led by Birgitte Kehler Holst, (Association of Danish Museums). Olga van Oost (FARO, the Flemish Institution for Cultural Heritage) suggested that while museums often rely on government support, this dependency can compromise their independence. Museums should aim to obtain a healthy state of interdependence and clearly say no at certain points. Alenka Černelič Krošelj (Slovenian Museums Association) discussed her work toward creating a dedicated Museum Act in Slovenia, which would formalise protections for museum independence, sustainability, and community engagement. Maria Smorzevskihh-Smirnova (Narva-Museum) recounted her museum’s contentious relationship with local politicians in the Estonia-Russia border town Narva.

In a participatory session, participants got to share their views on political influence via anonymous mentimeter polls. They got to dive deeper in one of six breakout sessions on topic ranging from:

1. Censorship in public programming
2. Budget and political influence
3. Politically influenced appointment of boards/staffing
4. Public statements and positioning
5. Influence of public administration
6. Collaboration / invite policies

Back in the plenary, group moderators reported back on the stage before NEMO Secretary General Julia Pagel offered her impressions of the conference programme in a wrap up. The energy of the conference was released by singing ‘People have the power’ by Patti Smith.

NEMO hopes to see the same energy at next year’s conference in Horsens, Denmark, where we will discuss museums, wellbeing and health. Save the date for 26-28 October 2025!

After lunch all attendees jumped on shuttle busses to the ASTRA Museum, one of the conference co-organisers, for a series of afternoon sessions. NEMO members convened in the Members’ Forum to discuss common challenges, while non-members enjoyed a guided tour of the museum.

Three afternoon workshops, each organised by a NEMO Working Group, provided hands-on training. Casey Scott-Songin (The Creative Researcher)’s workshop ‘Connecting with underrepresented audiences’ focused on strategies for designing inclusive visitor experiences and gathering feedback from underrepresented groups. In ‘Assessing museum sustainability’, Birgitte Kehler Holst (Association of Danish Museums), Annelies Cosaert (Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA)), Estelle De Bruyn (Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA)) and Alenka Černelič Krošelj (Slovenian Museum Association) guided discussions on challenges museums face in measuring and balancing environmental, social, and economic sustainability while preserving cultural heritage. In the third workshop, Miranda Stearn and Rachel Tranter (GEM - Group for Education in Museums) encouraged museum educators to approach equity, diversity, and inclusion in accessible, ethically guided ways, especially when handling sensitive topics.

The conference was wrapped up with a final reception at the ASTRA Museum. Participants staying longer in Sibiu, had the option to join a tour to Alba Iulia on 13 November. The city marks the union of the historical provinces into modern Romania, full of history and landmarks: a Vauban citadel, the coronation cathedral and the lavish Palace of the Transylvanian Princes.

NEMO's European Museum Conference 2024 is co-organised together with the National Network of Romanian Museums, the ASTRA Museum and thanks to co-funding by the European Union.