SCIENCE COMMUNICATION: THE GHENT

UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AS A CASE

STUDY

Dr. Marjan Doom (18/03/2017)

GENTS UNIVERSITEITSMUSEUM

KERNGROEP CONCEPTONTWIKKELING

CONTEXT

2

Ghent; 643.393

Leuven; 105.754

Antwerp; 32.092 Brussels; 1.559

Known number of Cultural heritage

objects in 4 Flemish universities

1"Balans en perspectief. Academisch erfgoed in Vlaanderen." Interuniversitair Platform voor

Academisch Erfgoed, 2013

Campus Ledeganck

Complex Ledeganck

Science Centre Nemo, Amsterdam

Science Centre Nemo, Amsterdam

TARGET AUDIENCE

Secondary school students (focus on final grades)

Academic community

“Broad Public” fascinated by science and culture

8

MISSION AND VISION

9

• Science is a human activity

• Practising science means ‘Dare to Think’

• Science is a dynamic concept

MUSEUM OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

“Visitors are no longer approached as empty vessels to be

filled with didactic content…” (Graham Black)

“The museum is gradually becoming a unique platform of

human encounters” (Chris Dercon)

“The museum’s role is not to proclaim but to listen, interpret,

incorporate ideas and adjust” (Charles Leadbeater)

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CONTENT: FRAMEWORK

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CHAOS Patterns & Classification

DOUBT Observation & Interpretation

REPRESENTATION Modelling

TRUTH Measuring & Collecting of data

IMMAGINATION Immagination & Invention

KNOWLEDGE Pluralism in science

NETWORK Science & Community

BOUNDARIES and LIMITS Boundaries and Limits in science

Scie

nce

is a

hum

an a

ctiv

ity

Scie

nce

implie

s“O

ut o

f the

Box“ th

inkin

g

Scie

nce

is a

dyna

mic

co

nce

pt

SCENOGRAPHIC LAYERS

1Introfilm(s)

Setting the mood

And

Inciting the

imagination

2Big Questions

Science

Philosophical layer

initiated by the

selection of key

objects

3Cabinets and LAB

Exploration

And

In-depth research

FRAMEWORK: CONTENT

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CHAOS Patterns & Classification

DOUBT Observation & Interpretation

REPRESENTATION Modelling

TRUTH Measuring & Collecting of data

IMMAGINATION Immagination & Invention

KNOWLEDGE Pluralism in science

NETWORK Science & Community

BOUNDARIES and LIMITS Boundaries and Limits in science

FRAMEWORK: KEYWORDS

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CHAOS Patterns & Classification

DOUBT Observation & Interpretation

REPRESENTATION Modelling

TRUTH Measuring & Collecting of data

IMMAGINATION Immagination & Invention

KNOWLEDGE Pluralism in science

NETWORK Science & Community

BOUNDARIES and LIMITS Boundaries and Limits in science

FRAMEWORK: KEY OBJECTS

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CHAOS Patterns & Classification

DOUBT Observation & Interpretation

REPRESENTATION Modelling

TRUTH Measuring & Collecting of data

IMMAGINATION Immagination & Invention

KNOWLEDGE Pluralism in science

NETWORK Science & Community

BOUNDARIES and LIMITS Boundaries and Limits in science

FRAMEWORK: BIG QUESTIONS

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CHAOS Does science bring order into reality? / Are classification systems

fixed?...

DOUBT Is it always true what we see? / Can we study something we can’t

see?…

REPRESENTATION Does the model capture reality? / Can science mimic nature? …

TRUTH Can we measure anything? What is the difference between

measuring and knowing?...

IMMAGINATION Does a scientist need imagination? Can you be creative and

objective at the same time?...

KNOWLEDGE Is science the sole source of knowledge? / Can different answers to

the same question be true? …

NETWORK Can you practise science alone? / Do we know more now then in the

past? …

BOUNDARIES and LIMITS Should science know boundaries and limits? Can we know

everything?...

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20

CONCEPT

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Cabinets

‒ Scale and diversity of the academic collections

‒ Invite to explore and indulge in the themes

CABINETS

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CONCEPT

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LAB

‒ Stimulate interaction

‒ Dynamics

‒ Participation

‒ Public programme

LAB

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BIG QUESTIONS

Key Objects & Main narrative

CHAOS

Patterns & Classification

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29

BOUNDARIES AND LIMITS

Boundaries & Limits in science

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CABINETS

Large amount of objects & exploration

DOUBT

observation & interpretation

DOUBT: THE STUDY OF WHAT HAS DISAPPEARED

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TO CONCLUDE

An exhibition can be a unique language to share a

narrative on science and scientific thinking

Museum is a platform for encounter and participation

Juxtaposition

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THANK YOU

External Partner: Handelsreizigers in Ideeën (http://handelsreizigers.be/)

Photography: Benn Deceuninck, Geert Roels, Bart De Pauw,

Hilde Christiaens and Koen Bovée