The Activist Museum?

At first glance, activism in museums sounds like just the agency we need to have an impact. But I wonder if this notion actually leads us down a rather exclusive path.

Agonistic Interpretation and Decolonising Museums

Decolonisation is so much more than provenance research and potential restitution. Lal Davies' powerful intervention makes me want to push the boundaries of agonistic spaces.

Museum Spaces and the Visitor Experience

I've spent the last month in conversation with the team about our spaces at the National Waterfront Museum. It's the first step in redeveloping them.

Museum: Place and Story

Historic buildings can be a real asset in telling local history - something worth remembering when they are adapted for museum use, as I argue in this review of the Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.

Online Storytelling

A recent piece on The Guardian website is worth looking at for ideas on digital storytelling and exhibitions on museum websites.

Mise en scène of Exhibitions

Good interpretation is storytelling. And good storytelling through an exhibition requires mise en scène. The National Maritime Museum of Korea provides a good example.

Storytelling History II: The Erwin Hymer Museum

It is a rare occasion that I walk through a museum and smile with joy about how the story is told. My recent visit to the Erwin Hymer Museum (of camper vans) was one such occasion. The very first contact with the exhibition is as informative as it is fun. A few words of welcome, … Continue reading Storytelling History II: The Erwin Hymer Museum →

Back to Basics: Interpretation 101

Yesterday was my first time visiting the Castle at Ellwangen and its small museum. As far as I can gather, the castle itself is in the care of the State of Baden-Württemberg, at least it’s listed on their website and some of the signs make mention of the agency. The museum, which occupies but a … Continue reading Back to Basics: Interpretation 101 →

Handing over Power, or: Diversity in the Heritage Sector

At the start of November, the UK Art Fund published a report on diversity in the arts and heritage sectors. Specifically, the report reviews the impact of diversity initiatives on curatorial roles since 1998. However, it also makes important observations on how the current structure of museums may stand in the way of diversity – … Continue reading Handing over Power, or: Diversity in the Heritage Sector →

Silence is not neutral, and objectivity does not exist

Last month, I presented [1] a paper at the Re-Imagining Challenging History conference in Cardiff, Wales. It combined and developed two of the key things I’ve written about a lot on this blog recently: that museums’ silence is never neutral, and that objectivity, as an expression of ‘truth’ (including a ‘material’ truth), does not exist. … Continue reading Silence is not neutral, and objectivity does not exist →