This article is part of an ongoing research project on co-creation of museum dissemination in the forthcoming Vildmosemuseum. The aim of the article is to discuss the significance of prerequisites of the local population in the small town of Brønderslev in connection to its involvement in inclusion and co-creation at the museum. Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of presuppositions inform the framework for understanding how users’ prerequisites affect their ability to use museums, while the preliminary research project takes the form of a case study. Along the way, the relevance of co-creation will be discussed.

The aim of this article is to examine how aesthetic sustainability, as a theoretical concept and analytical framework, can elucidate and expand the science-technology-engineering-arts-mathematics (STEAM) approach to learning at museums, advancing it conceptually and practically. STEAM denotes an inter-disciplinary educational approach in which traditional boundaries between scientific and humanistic disciplines are deliberately blurred, allowing knowledge from each to intersect with and inform the other. The approach seeks to strengthen learners’ capacity for critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving, while fostering awareness of the environmental, social and cultural implications of human action. It highlights how interdisciplinary and sensuous engagement with heritage materials may lead to transformative learning outcomes that connect scientific reasoning with aesthetic reflection. The article’s overall argument is developed through analysis of four cases from the STEAM at Museums development project in Central Denmark Region (2023–25).

Given that the production of digital offerings for schools by museums is currently an area of development, this article examines how teachers select, evaluate and use digital learning resources. The study is based on fourteen futures workshops with history and social studies teachers in secondary and upper secondary schools. The results show that teachers' practical appreciation of digital learning resources is closely linked to curriculum requirements and the ability to adapt the material to pupils' prior knowledge and special needs. Teachers value digital learning resources that address those aspects of historical thinking that are associated with primary source criticism and the understanding of continuity and change. While teachers' expectations of digital learning resources are based on available teaching materials, short formats and multimodality, they still expect multi-sensory experiences from museums and value museum visits. Moreover, teachers' agencies are limited by their perceived lack of time.

This paper investigates the integration of democratic, participatory approaches within Danish regional museums, with a particular focus on archaeological practices. The study explores the extent and impact of public involvement in museum activities, considering recent trends in archaeology and museum practice. Through a survey of thirty state-authorized museums and in-depth interviews with seven, the research identifies various forms of public participation, highlighting both the benefits and challenges faced by museums. Findings indicate a moderate level of public engagement, primarily involving metal detectorists and a set group of dedicated volunteers. The paper underscores the potential of participatory practices to foster social inclusion and enhance the dynamic relationship between museums and the public, advocating for a more inclusive and dialogic approach to cultural heritage management.

När vi idag skall hantera och ställa ut konst skapad av patienter påverkar de omständigheter under vilka konstverken skapats, samlats och ställts ut de val och möjligheter som står till buds. Förutsättningarna är väldigt specifika, för att inte säga unika, och ändå finns det förhållandevis lite information och forskning om patienternas konst som föremålskategori. I artikeln diskuteras föremålskategorin utifrån två olika samlingar, Konradsbergssamlingen på Nationalmuseum och konstsamlingen på Medicinhistoriska museet i Uppsala. Ur samlingarna har vi valt ut två konstnärskap, Ava de Lagercrantz (1862–1938) respektive Valentin Klinghammer (1853–1919) för att belysa hur patienternas konst har skapats, samlats och ställts ut över tid.

Contemporary collecting in Swedish museums has seen an increasing diversity of methods. Alongside traditional ethnographic methods, some museums also collect through digital channels, such as web enquiries. This text is a contribution to the discussion of some of the benefits claimed by museums that have chosen to digitalise collecting practices. Using web portals for collecting provides opportunities to acquire large quantities of information. This is regarded as a strength by museums, but at the same time it is rarely stated why large quantities of data is needed and how to analyse it. Technology, democratic ambitions, and a modernity in crisis are interwoven in digital contemporary collecting. This text argues that museums need to rethink the purpose of contemporary collecting, and thereafter consider appropriate methods.

Decision making in large object collections has often revolved around the tension between using it and possibly losing it; “using” it to preserve either in operation or as static display or storing it away, risking decay and losing it due to lack of resources. Preservation through use (Norwegian: vern gjennom bruk) is a conservation ideology that forms the basis of Norwegian cultural heritage management. It hinges on the premise that heritage collections are best preserved whenever used. Although widely advocated as a conservation ideology in Norway, preservation through use is not objective on the guidelines for restoring and maintaining historical railway vehicles in working condition. This article advocates for the implementation of a code of conduct for restoration of heritage railway vehicles in harmonization with national preservation plan for railway rolling stock. It aims to discuss the term authenticity in the context of restoration of railway vehicles considering their further use as operational heritage trains. A case example is presented by the restoration plan of steam locomotive nr. 6 at a Heritage railway in southern Norway. To preserve the authentic one must have know-how as well as the ethos of museum conservation. What that code of conduct is in Heritage railway context is largely subject to interpretation, while there are guidelines which can help managers make wise decisions in preservation work carried out on heritage vehicles. The article draws on the author’s experience both as a volunteer on Heritage railways and as historical curator at the national railway museum in Hamar.