National Museums Making History in A Diverse Europe

Abstract

This is the summary policy report of the Eunamus project. Drawing together findings from all of the other project reports and conferences, it reflects upon the way histories are constructed and deployed in Europe's national museums. It sets out to address two questions: In what ways do national museums, and the histories they display, contribute to social division and cohesion? How might national museums be a force for greater social cohesion in Europe in the future? The report discusses how national museums perform, interpret and narrate meaningful pasts and how these acts of communication are perceived by visitors and citizens. The report concludes with eight policy implications: National museums need to be autonomous creative institutions National museums need to understand and be open about their performances National museums need to overcome national constraints National museums need to develop and share tools for establishing bridge-building narratives National museums need to review their impact on perceptions of citizenship National museums need to reach new audiences Regional and local museums hold great potential for international bridge building National museums can act as forums for contested issues The three-year research programme, EuNaMus – European National Museums: Identity Politics, the Uses of the Past and the European Citizen, is coordinated at Tema Q at Linköping University (www.eunamus. eu). EuNaMus explores the creation and power of the heritage created and presented at European national museums to the world, Europe and its states, as an unsurpassable institution in contemporary society. National museums are defined and explored as processes of institutionalized negotiations where material collections and displays make claims and are recognized as articulating and representing national values and realities. Questions asked in the project are why, by whom, when, with what material, with what result and future possibilities are these museums shaped.