Museums designing for the future: some perspectives confronting German technical and industrial museums in the twenty-first century

Abstract

During the 1970s the German museum professionals debated the pressing question of whether museums are places of learning or just temples of the Muses. In the 1990s, the terms ‘experiential museums’ and ‘museum experience’ came to the fore. Furthermore, the whole cultural landscape was affected by the crisis of de-industrialisation that has been taking place over the past decades. How can industrial and technical museums deal with these challenges? What can be done to make museums more attractive? What can they do to design future? The present article explores these questions and reaches the conclusion that, at present, most of industrial and technical museums are tackling social changes. They are focusing increasingly on current issues such as migration, Europeanisation and globalisation and they are relating history to contemporary questions. They are developing new policies and applying advanced presentation and education methods, inspired by science centres and the brand lands of the company museums. Some are concentrating on more interactive elements, while others are utilising scenography. New foundations are profiting above all from a crossover that is occurring. Many new museums broadened their definition, now being a hybrid of cultural heritage site, science centre, archaeological site and tourist destination.