Imagining Museums in 2030

A local project invited me to write an article on culture for an imaginary newspaper in 2030. It got me thinking about what I hope (German) museums will be like then [1]. Here are my thoughts.   In 2030, as soon as I step through the doors of a museum, it is clear that this … Continue reading Imagining Museums in 2030

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Agonistic (Third) Spaces: Now more important than ever

Last week I came out of my personal, Corona pandemic-induced paralysis by presenting a paper at the Interpret Europe web conference. My topic was agonistic (third) spaces, and in preparing the presentation, I felt that creating such spaces is now more important than perhaps ever before.   I have already blogged about agonistic interpretation and … Continue reading Agonistic (Third) Spaces: Now more important than ever

‘Working professionally’: Thoughts on new museum guidelines

The German Museum Association has recently published guidelines on ‘Working Professionally in a Museum’. The guidelines are intended as a snapshot of current roles in museums. What the guidelines also reveal, however, is a continued imbalance between the focus on collections and museums as institutions for the public.   On one hand, the guidelines acknowledge … Continue reading ‘Working professionally’: Thoughts on new museum guidelines

Back to Basics, Or: A few Do’s, and mostly Don’t’s, of Guiding Tours

Since my return to Germany, I have been on many guided tours that have truly made me want to weep with frustration. I’ve had guides who held lengthy monologues; guides who asked not a single question to get to know their audience; guides who talked about things that were nowhere in sight.   I could … Continue reading Back to Basics, Or: A few Do’s, and mostly Don’t’s, of Guiding Tours

Aesthetic Value is not an Excuse, Or: Why (Art) Museums Need Democracy

A couple of weeks ago, DIE ZEIT published an article on democracy in art museums. The article accepts that a museum is ‘a political space’ [1] and that there is validity in arguments calling for greater democracy and diversity therein [2]. However, the article asserts, these developments ‘almost inevitably endanger the freedom of art’ [3] … Continue reading Aesthetic Value is not an Excuse, Or: Why (Art) Museums Need Democracy

A Culture War? Observations on the Situation in Oldenburg

I have never been in a situation before where my qualifications and experience as a museum and heritage professional were publicly denied, my work dismissed and my character vilified. I find myself in such a situation now. I have no interest in spending time on defending myself against newspaper articles that do not even pretend … Continue reading A Culture War? Observations on the Situation in Oldenburg