Museums form an important part of the cultural heritage of all European countries. As institutions, however, they have remained focused on the nation state for historical, political and often for financial reasons. However, many of the issues museums face today transcend national boundaries. The potential for museums to act as spaces for cultural encounter led to the development of ideas and practices focused on re-imagining the museum for the purposes of addressing imperial legacies, supporting ‘social inclusion’ or ‘empowering communities’. While academics and practitioners share an interest in museums as ‘contact zones’, strong relationships between academic theorising and practice have not always been effectively developed.

The conference will be platform for exchange, reflecting on the new EU-wide interest in museums as spaces of cultural encounter that occupy a unique position at the junction between ‘the local’, ‘the national’ and ‘the global’. It will also be a chance to debate the potential for museums as a meeting place for a wide range of academic subjects and non-academic participants.

For further information, please visit: http://www.esf.org/activities/esf-conferences/details/2011/confdetail365.html