16 June 2025
Museums have an important role to play in the future of democracies, especially in times of global challenges for democracy. Recent research by the European Commission shows that visiting museums and engaging in cultural activities strengthens democracy and social cohesion, irrespective of citizens’ education level or socio-economic background. Over the past year, citizen juries held by museums in Germany and the United Kingdom have successfully demonstrated how deliberative processes, like citizens’ assemblies, can integrate seamlessly into decision-making practices of memory institutions. This workshop will explore these pioneering approaches, providing both theoretical insights and practical guidance for museums seeking to involve the public in decision-making and create more inclusive, democratic spaces.
Active
13 May 2024
Exhibiting history always poses challenges for practitioners at museums, as the memories of contemporary witnesses interact with the narratives of the exhibitions. In the case of the Soviet period of Lithuanian history, the treatment of its legacies is particularly difficult as the narratives posed in the exhibitions might conflict with the memories of their visitors. How can the difficult experience of occupation, deportation, and violence be combined with ordinary or even positive memories of everyday life? What objects from the Soviet period can be found in museum collections, and how does their selection (pre)determine the view of history in exhibitions? What are the possibilities of illuminating the recent past in a multifaceted manner without repeating old myths and creating new ones?
Past
29 September 2023
An increasing number of researchers and practitioners agree that museum visitors are not only passive consumers of history, but can also contribute to its creation, preservation and communication. This opportunity becomes extremely significant when developing museum narratives about complex historical periods that receive controversial public assessments. How can we ensure that these narratives include different voices and help to unite rather than divide various groups of society?
Past
