Languages at Play in the Museum: The Case of Belgium and her Multilingual Arts and Heritage Institutions

Abstract

This article explores multilingual practices in museums by looking to Belgium, where the question of language is a particularly contentious one. Arts and heritage institutions are increasingly called upon to assume a more active role in democratizing the processes of selection, interpretation and display by entering into dialogue with their audiences. Thanks to the variety and diversity already present within their collections, museums are uniquely positioned to provide a platform for engaging multisensory and intercultural encounters, but the problem remains of how to extend these experiences to linguistically diverse audiences in meaningful and inclusive ways. The article draws on research from the field of performance studies to reflect upon emerging knowledge of the processes of performance and reception that take place during an individual's visit to a heritage site or event. It considers the role that languages, in the broadest sense of the word, might play in the exchange between museum and audience.