As museums, we are used to looking in the rear-view mirror. We cherish the material memory of our societies. We are stewards of the past. In addition, museums are increasingly concerned with current themes such as social inequality, migration and climate change. But what if we learned to become true time travellers and actively focus our museum programs and activities that shape the future? In a society dominated 24/7 by immediate impulses and gratification of needs, the long-term perspective of "deep time" might offer a way out of rusty, dysfunctional systems, habits, and ideas. How can museums play a role in shaping new models for the future? How to do this in close interaction with citizens and local communities, while overcoming the effects of polarisation, disinformation and populism? In this talk, Meta Knol shares her vision and presents some refreshing new tools and ideas.

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

Cultural institutions in times of crisis and polarisation
Elena Polivtseva (Belgium), Culture Policy Room (Digital contribution)

Building on the keynote speech, Elena will highlight how the crisis-driven trend in policy-making and social discourse, which prioritises precise calculations and future forecasting over proactive imagination, is impacting cultural institutions. Culture, with its inherent unpredictability and intangible nature, struggles to assert its value in a reality marked by declining trust and constant emergencies. Social polarisation also affects the autonomy and agency of cultural institutions. Facing ongoing precarity and multiple challenges, the sector often resorts to self-censorship, caught between the fear of alienating progressive audiences and clashing with conservative power holders. The platformisation of culture has further segmented consumers, as they are increasingly presented with content tailored to their preferences. Meanwhile, culture has become a battleground for identities and ideologies, with cultural workers embedded in the same polarised, echo-chambered society.

Challenging polarisation: Transformative paths for anti-racist activism in museums
Joshua Robertson (United Kingdom), Museums Association

In his contribution, Joshua will explore the challenges UK museums face in the context of rising polarisation and the far-right's backlash against decolonisation and institutional anti-racist activism. Drawing on Audre Lorde’s powerful words, ‘The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house,’ he will argue that traditional approaches are inadequate for creating lasting change. Instead, he will propose innovative pathways to cultivate decolonial and anti-racist futures within our museums. These pathways must break from established norms and disrupt entrenched frameworks that have long marginalized diverse histories. He will also highlight the pivotal role of the UK Museums Association, focusing on how initiatives like the Anti-Racist Museums Programme and the Decolonisation Skills and Confidence Programme have ignited this transformative process.

The challenges of Jewish Museums in Europe under the shadow of war
Mirjam Wenzel (Germany), Jewish Museum Frankfurt

Polarisations of discourses are leading to increasing dichotomies within society and to an essentialisation of differences between different groups. They nourish hate speech as well as violence. Hamas’ attacks on October 7^th 2023, Russia’s invasion and the ongoing war in Palestine, Lebanon, Israel and Ukraine have deepened the dichotomies and accelerated tensions between Jews and other minority groups throughout Europe. Since then, anti-Semitism as well as racism are on the rise which poses a threat to the future of Jewish life and to the diversity of European societies, in general.

The talk will elaborate on the meaning of these developments for Jewish Museums in the European diaspora. Are they still capable of building intercultural bridges and fostering mutual understanding in an increasingly polarized, if not hateful atmosphere?

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

Tanum Arrival Centre for asylum seekers in Norway 1987-2010
Anders Bettum (Norway), Intercultural Museum

Thousands of Norwegian citizens of today had their first experience with Norway at an arrival centre for asylum seekers. As liminal sites of transition and transformation, these centres carry a special meaning for many first-generation Norwegians, and also for their descendants. Acknowledging sites like these as cultural heritage of national importance makes sense on many levels. Small local museums can prevent polarisation by commemorating such sites and present stories of immigration as enrichment of the community and the nation.

Communities & Romanian museums. A bittersweet challenge 
Cristina Toma (Romania), National Museum of Maps and Old Books

Even though it is not common practise for Romanian museums to address specific communities, more and more museums have projects involving communities. The most active museums are the ethnographic museums, but not only. Perhaps for small museums, such as the Maps Museum, addressing communities is easier than for bigger museums. The Maps Museum works with several communities, of which maybe the most important one is the Ukrainian community in Bucharest. Starting 2022, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Bucharest increased and thus we, as a museum, felt the need to give them a safe space for meeting. Another objective was establishing a connection between them and the museum collection.

Not Could, Should: Community collaboration as a tool for advancing societal cohesion
E-J Scott (United Kingdom), Curator, Museum of Transology

This presentation will consider how collaborating with communities targeted in ‘culture wars’ can contribute to dissipating the populist rhetoric and violence levied against them. To do so, E-J Scott will rely upon the Trans-Inclusive Culture: Guidance on advancing trans inclusion for museums, galleries, archives and heritage organisations (Research Centre for Museums and Galleries, University of Leicester). The case studies within the guidance offer practical evidence for ways in which museums can– and ought to– use their cultural might to foster social inclusion in an age of polarisation and disinformation.

Timeout is a new way to generate and engage in constructive dialogue. It can be used whenever a deeper understanding of a topic or an equal encounter is needed – for instance, as part of preparations, decision-making or bringing different people together. Museums can use it as part of their democracy work and to develop museums’ own exhibition activities. It will also open up possibilities for museums to act as arenas for democracy and civil discourse.

In this workshop, we will go through the steps of the Timeout dialogue and also try out the dialogue method – the best way to learn it is to try it yourself. We will step out of our roles as museum professionals and engage in an equal dialogue, sharing our own experiences and learning from each other.

Museums face complex issues like diversity, accessibility, and equality. Addressing these requires a unified strategy across departments, but siloed structures often prevent collaboration. Unfortunately, many museums are structured in silos, with teams operating independently. This fragmentation hinders collaboration and makes it difficult to develop a cohesive approach to these complex issues. Furthermore, "futures thinking" often happens at the leadership level, with strategic plans crafted in isolation from the day-to-day operations and the teams who actually deliver public-facing experiences. This disconnect leads to well-intentioned strategies that fail to translate into effective action. This dynamic workshop tackles these issues head-on. It empowers cultural workers with design methods and tools to foster collaboration across departments. Additionally, the workshop provides Futures Design stimuli, prompting reflection on the role of digital tools and diversity in museums' future. The format offers both debate and discovery, with discussions and hands-on exercises applying design methods to a future-world museum challenge.

This session presents research on Generation Z's familiarity with ethnography and examines strategies to effectively engage this demographic in the museum’s offline spaces. Drawing on insights from this study and an outreach model implemented by the Museum of Ethnography, participants are invited to collaboratively explore innovative approaches for involving diverse generations and communities in museum activities.

This workshop explores the growing tension between museums’ pursuit of social relevance and the influence of political boards and government bodies. While museums in Belgium and the Netherlands increasingly aim to contribute social value, their interpretations often differ from those of politicians and governmental departments, raising concerns about autonomy in decision-making.The workshop will begin with an overview of how museums in Belgium and the Netherlands strive for autonomy and build stable relationships with their authorities and funders. Participants will learn from both successful examples and cases where autonomy has been threatened. Facilitators will also introduce strategies and tools to maintain open dialogue with political entities. Participants will be invited to share their own experiences in maintaining dialogue and autonomy, reflecting on successes and challenges.

SCAF2024  emphasized the idea of overcoming any kind of physical, cultural, artistic and even personal boundaries. The 2024 edition of SCAF  brought to Sibiu more than 150 artists from Romania, Cuba, Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Hungary, Syria, Greece, Holland, Austria, Japan, Finland and Israel. You will also get a sneak peek into the Saint Ursula old convent.

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

Caught in the middle: Museums between their claim to social engagement and perceived neutrality
Patricia Rahemipour (Germany), Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

Many museums today consciously take a political or social stance, advocating for climate change, social justice and human rights, showing solidarity with communities and making recommendations for action. But how does the claim and need for political positioning fit with the perception of museums in society at large? A recent representative study by the Institute for Museum Research helps to answer this question.

The age-old paradox of democracy
Maria Vlachou (Portugal), Acesso Cultura

Even museums living the illusion of being neutral, find that, sooner or later, reality comes knocking on their door. Even museums eager to promote dialogue and understanding, need to question whether this is realistic no matter the context.

Museer er ikke nøytrale / Museat eai leat neutrálat – How an art museum takes its practices to the streets
Charis Gullickson (Norway/USA), Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum (Digital contribution)

Public art museums have the potential to act as critical social actors. What happens when art museums assume the role of activists? What is Museer er ikke nøytrale and how did it grow out of my research project?

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

The tragedy of perspective in art museums
Rašeljka Bilić Boras (Croatia), Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media, and Ivor Crotty (Ireland/Croatia), Digital storyteller and educator

This presentation reflects on the polarised perspectives within art museums. Comparing art museums to rock bands—intimate, cult-like and like-minded communities—and government ministries to orchestras—large, heterogeneous, upholding traditions, heritage-focused institutions—the speakers will explore how Croatian museums navigate this duality. Museum directors in Croatia face numerous challenges, including building renovations, public engagement, and internal collaboration, all while transitioning from a post-socialist legacy to contemporary museology. Using personal experience, one former Associate Director who have been on both sides will, with the help of a storyteller, share how these challenges are shaping the future of museums in Croatia and offer insights into how institutions can meet evolving demands, including sustainable development.

Stick to the plan - Trying to navigate right-wing populism
Jana Golombek (Germany), LWL Industrial Museum Zollern (Digital contribution)

A strong team, a clear stance, and good networks are essential to navigate through a "shitstorm". Taking the right-wing attack on the project "That's Colonial." as an example, Jana Golombek will share how a crisis can help to unveil those simple truths and help to build meaningful connections.

Weddings and Pride on display
Cecilie Rørstad and Ingvill Naalsund (Norway), Viti

When schools in Ålesund were banned from flying the rainbow flag during Pride, a national debate ensued. Although the ban was overturned, public displays of the rainbow flag faced vandalism. Sunnmøre Museum, whose exhibition covers weddings and marriage, aimed to improve representation by including LGBTQ+ stories. Despite inviting the public to share wedding photos, none featured same-sex male couples. In collaboration with Bygdepride, the museum sought to fill this gap. However, a Facebook post by the museum sparked criticism from a local politician, who accused the institution of giving too much prominence for gay rights and for being overly political. The politician would return to the issue regarding future funding for the museum.

Museum borders, and museum responsibilities: Possibilities to relate
Aivi Ross (Estonia), Estonian National Museum

This presentation shares the experience of the Estonian National Museum (ENM) in fostering dialogue between different cultural and language communities. Since 2018, the museum has offered short language and culture courses under the initiative "Live the Lives of Estonians." With Estonia hosting 70,000 war refugees from Ukraine since 2022, refugees and Russian-speaking locals with varying pollical views now meet at these courses. The museum also launched round-table discussions, starting with "WE CAN TALK: Does the language change the mind?". These conversations bring together conflicting communities and have sparked vital feedback online, at the event in Tartu and upcoming event in Russia-Estonia border town Narva. The museum continues to use dialogue as a tool for fostering understanding between different, sometimes conflicting, communities in the society.

Bridging generations for change
Stephanie Bonnici (Malta/the Netherlands), European Cultural Foundation

As labels like “Boomers,” “Millennials,” and “Gen-Z” shape our understanding of one another, they often obscure the common ground we share. This presentation will explore how cultural organisations can harness intergenerational collaboration to empower young leaders, build resilience, and inspire hope in response to today’s global challenges. 

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

Independence is an illusion. Museums: Let’s get political!
Olga van Oost (Belgium), FARO, the Flemish Institution for Cultural Heritage

Museums need the support of governments, political representatives and other policy makers but they are wary of political influence. Seeking a balance between both is a continuous struggle. What if museums would take the political as a starting point for their strategies?

Is a Special Museum Act a fiction, privilege or standard?
Alenka Černelič Krošelj (Slovenia), Slovenian Museum Association

Slovenia is one of the youngest European states (since 1991) with a long tradition of protecting its cultural heritage, whereby immovable heritage had more value than movable heritage. This has also been connected and emphasised in legislation. For example, there is a separate act for libraries and archives, while museums are included in the Cultural Heritage Protection Act since 2008, which has been amended several times but the “museum articles” stayed the same.

Alenka Černelič Krošelj will present the activities that the Slovenian Museums Association has undertaken in cooperation with the Slovenian Museum Society since 1991, and especially in the last three years, when they revised the proposal of the Museum Act from 2012 and added contemporary issues and solutions such as sustainability, permanent and independent work in the service of society, climate actions, less influence in governance and appointing directors etc.

In 2024, the government approved the Strategy for Slovenian Museums but on the other hand we still haven't convinced our Ministry of Culture that having a special act is the most important for development of the sector. If we look around Europe, we find special Museum Acts in for example Austria, Croatia, Estonia, France, etc. So why is this such a huge challenge / issue in Slovenia?

Conflict of values: Narva Museum versus the politicians of the Border City
Maria Smorzevskihh-Smirnova (Estonia), Narva-Museum

The Narva Museum, located in the Estonia-Russia border city Narva, has faced a conflict of values and blackmail from local politicians. At the heart of the conflict is the portrayal of certain historical events that have long been taboo. For example, an exhibition about the bombing and destruction of Narva in 1944 by Soviet aviation.

Another example is the museum's activity, such as hanging a banner on the castle wall with the message "Putin War Criminal" on 9 May 2024, while directly across from the Narva Castle, in the Russian fortress of Ivangorod, a propaganda concert glorifying Russia’s military power took place. The conflict has escalated to the national level and is now occurring between the Minister of Culture and the city's mayor. The museum is being humiliated and persecuted locally with the involvement of local politicians.

Museums have developed a strong foundation for how they deliver audience experiences over the last decades. But how do you design and deliver experiences for audiences that don’t feel represented (or welcome) in a museum’s space? 

Join this hands-on workshop to investigate ways to conduct audience research with underrepresented groups in a way that captures their voices and brings their needs to the forefront. You will leave with a developed audience research plan and an understanding of how to conduct the research and implement the actionable insights into developing new and meaningful visitor experiences.

This workshop is organised by the NEMO Working Group Digital Transformation.

Although the concept of sustainable museum has been debated for several years, many museums struggle to quantify their progress in becoming sustainable. Adopting a holistic approach to sustainability in museums is also challenging. Measures taken to protect cultural heritage sometimes interfere with a museum’s goals of becoming environmentally, socially, or economically sustainable. A workshop addressing these challenges is organised by the NEMO Working Group Sustainability and Climate Action.

The workshop will focus on GEM’s approach to delivering training relating to equality, diversity and inclusion, in an accessible and ethical way, sharing methodologies and approaches to planning and delivery. The session will focus on how GEM encourages the democratisation of museums through encouraging engagement with underrepresented groups.

The workshop will focus on GEM’s role as a sector support organisation and its approach to training which builds confidence and skills so museum learning professionals can approach difficult and triggering topics with their audiences in a safe, positive and ethical way. The workshop will explore how the sector needs to be responding to relevant socio-political issues, creating much needed interventions in order for museums to be more democratic welcoming spaces.

Delegates will be asked to consider training needs in supported activities and discussions leading to an action plan so the workshop inspires positive change that will lead to improved audience inclusion.

This workshop is organised by the NEMO Working Group LEM - the Learning Museum.