During the last few decades, the role of the museum has substantially changed. Traditional displays of objects and pictures have given rise to alternative ways of representing and staging the past. The use of media and active visitor participation challenges the educational aspect that museums once offered. The focus of conveying historical knowledge and stimulating a cognitive process of perception is being replaced by a more emotional museum experience: instead of dealing with historical facts, museums have become 'historical theme parks'.
The central aim of the workshop is to discuss these developments by way of historical background and to develop further perspectives on the role and function of the historical museum and how it exhibits work. By focusing on the use of diverse media and strategies of staging the past, we want to take a closer look at how historical knowledge is conveyed in today's museum practice.
Click here for the conference report.