Multiperspectivity in Museums

What is it about?

This article examines how three museums in Finland and Estonia — Muisti, the Estonian National Museum (ENM) and Vabamu — use first-person narratives to challenge established historical accounts of 20th-century conflicts. It considers how curators select which personal stories to collect, include and present. The study concludes that these stories help to make the exhibitions more inclusive, offering a broader range of perspectives. However, the curators' aims and roles as memory mediators limit their overall impact. In particular, the authors argue that curators often prioritise reconciliation and shared understanding over encouraging deeper disagreement or multiple conflicting viewpoints. Consequently, while the exhibitions highlight a more diverse range of past experiences, they are still shaped by the curators' ideas about the desirable outcome when addressing the legacy of conflict.

Featured Image

Photo by Werner Du plessis on Unsplash

Photo by Werner Du plessis on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This article is important for scholars, curators and public historians because it examines the difference between the democratic ideal of presenting multiple perspectives and the reality of producing museum exhibitions, which is often compromised.

Perspectives