EUROPAST Workshop: “Contested” History in Museums

An increasing number of researchers and practitioners agree that museum visitors are not only passive consumers of history, but can also contribute to its creation, presentation and communication. This opportunity becomes extremely significant when developing museum narratives about complex historical periods that receive controversial public assessments. How can we ensure that these narratives include different voices and help to unite rather than divide various groups of society?

This EUROPAST workshop seeks to enhance the competencies of museum employees (in particular, collection managers, curators, guides and educators, communication and marketing managers) and decision-makers relevant for the construction of narratives about controversial periods of history and for initiating co-creation projects. The event will explore the concept of public history and its practices, the current state of the politics of history, stakeholder engagement and similar topics.

Dr. Kristiane Janeke will deliver the keynote speech and lead the workshop. She is a historian and practitioner with much experience working in German and international museums and deep knowledge of the specificities of Eastern European museology. Her interests include the politics of history, culture of remembrance, museum studies, intercultural communication, German-Eastern European cultural exchange, presentation of war in museums, exhibition, and museum management.

Date: 29 September 2023

Venue: The National Museum of Lithuania, The Old Arsenal (Arsenalo street 3, Vilnius)

Programme of the event:

• 8:45-9:00 Arrival and registration
• 9:00-9:30 Welcome address by Prof. Violeta Davoliūtė (Vilnius University)
• 9:30-11:00 Keynote speech “The role of museums in the co-creation of public history” by Dr. Kristiane Janeke
• 11:00-11:15 Coffee break
• 11:15-12:30 Workshop: discussing contested historical periods in museum exhibitions and activities (part I)
• 12:30-13:30 Lunch
• 13:30-14:45 Workshop: discussing contested historical periods in museum exhibitions and activities (part II)
• 14:45-16:15 Visit in the exhibitions of the National Museum of Lithuania:

Unresolved composition. The Second World War in the Art of Soviet Lithuania

Shards and Echoes of Time: Soviet Censorship in the Work of Rimantas Dichavičius

The “Pavilion: Vilnius 200 Years Ago”

• 16:15-16:30 Closing remarks

The event will be held in English. Participants will receive a certificate acknowledging acquired competencies. Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. You may register here.

Partner of the workshop – the National Museum of Lithuania. The workshop is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union under the WIDERA programme (EUROPAST project, Grant Agreement No. 101079466). EUROPAST is carried out collaboratively by Vilnius University (coordinator, Lithuania), Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History (Germany), Lund University (Sweden), and Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH, Luxembourg). To learn more, click here.