People move from one country or continent to another for many reasons, and the pace of migration is speeding up. An EU-funded project looked at how museums can reflect the impact of these flows in today's interconnected, multicultural world.
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Around the world, human populations are on the move, bringing knowledge, ideas, information and culture with them. People migrate from one place to another in search of safety or work, or for personal reasons such as family or relationships, becoming part of society in their new homes. The pace of migration is speeding up as the world becomes more interconnected, driven by conflict, climate change and globalisation. We need to understand how to promote understanding and social cohesion in this 21st century context.
Museums play a key role in cultural heritage, collecting and displaying artefacts and information that reflect different aspects of society, and helping to construct identities. Decisions about what items to display and the narratives that are built around them are not politically or culturally neutral, however. The EU-funded MELA project aimed to identify how museums need to evolve as societies adapt to new patterns of migration.
“We are all migrating somehow, and our behaviour, knowledge and culture travels with us and leaves a trace,” says assistant project coordinator Francesca Lanz of Politecnico di Milano, Italy. “If museums are to represent contemporary societies then this will affect the narratives they put on display – they do not just represent and mirror what is happening in society, but tell a story about what is happening.”.
Understanding and evolving
MELA comprised six key research areas to identify challenges and opportunities for the sector. The first examined the impact of population movement on how museums represent society and culture to create a sense of belonging. Other parts of the project investigated: the role of cultural memory in identity, migration and museums; the relationship between art, migration and representation in museum exhibits; and the use of new digital technologies to create innovative displays.
A further aspect involved creating a network of museums, libraries and cultural institutions across Europe, and identifying tools and strategies to enable museums to evolve in the new age of migration.
Overall, the MELA team produced 12 propositions for 21st century museums. The insights and recommendations can be used by professionals, researchers and policymakers across the cultural heritage sector.
Museums for the 21st century
The project’s main outputs included a library of open-access digital publications outlining the findings, and a critical archive – an online tool providing more detail on the researchers’ main results. By making the findings freely available, MELA aimed to share best practices and new ideas on how museums can respond to a changing world.
MELA’s findings are more relevant and urgent than ever before: although the project ended in 2015, the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe is likely to bring new challenges for societies and their cultural institutions.
“Migration is not just a topic for specific immigration museums,” says Lanz. “This is happening right now. Every museum must recognise its political role and update its strategies so that it can reach out to new populations, effectively transmitting ideas that foster a more tolerant and open society.”.
