ICOM International Commit.ee for the Training of Personne ICOM International Committee for Museolog, Joint colloquiun METHODOLOGY OF MUSEOLOGY AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING London, July 1 ICOM International Committee for Museolog) Symposium MUSEUM - TERRITORY - SOCIETY NEW TENDENCIES/NEW PRACTICES London, July 1983 ADDENDA 2
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ICOM International Commit.ee for the Training of PersonneICOM International Committee for Museolog,
Joint colloquiun
METHODOLOGY OF MUSEOLOGYAND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
London, July 198~
ICOM International Committee for Museolog)
Symposium
MUSEUM - TERRITORY - SOCIETYNEW TENDENCIES/NEW PRACTICES
veritah1c 110t, dans Ie cOlltexte urbain, qui cst gcncr31emcnt all
i I se I'r\)dl' i t et avec IC1lllci sa thema tiqlle a pell 011 meme la plu
part t11.!~; !"o i S :IIlCIIIl rapport:.
2
L'int6gration, comme je l'ai dej,i clit, permet a l'Ecomusee
de donner une vision tot;.Jlis3trice f3ce a un public Eortement
varie, jnconscient et ignorant sous beaucoup d'aspects quant ases res sources et i sa propre existence. Tout cela dB I la divi
sion technique du travail, mais fondamentalement dQ i la division
sociale de ce clernier qui, en 1\mer ique Latine par exemple, revihe
des profils dramatiques d'exploitation humaine par des groupes
minoritaircs qui mcritent, soit dit en passant, tout l'appui ex
t&rieur. l'ar des sus tout cela, en plus, la division internationa
Ie du travail qui Illargine I 'aire contincnt31e et predetermine Ie
sous-developpement et emp~che l'acc~s de grands secteurs de la
population aux niveaux les plus eleves de prise de conscience de
leur realitfi. Je vous prie de bien vouloir excuser mes references
constantes il l'i\mfirique Latine mais c'est Iii ma marque de referen
ce et je continuerai ii Ie faire tout au long de cet expose.
L'Ecornusee en permettant la participation, c'est-a-dire
l'autogestion, provoque des situations d'cnorme interet en rapport
avec 10 situation antcrieure. 1.e musce traditionnel, au XTXeme
siecle, mis 5 part son manque de dialogue, ne peut pas par sa
structure !IIeme, par sa [orme de travail (quj ne contemple d'autre
action que celIe du specialiste dans un "Magister dixit") s'affron
ter avec agilit6 <1 un processus de democratisation de la culture
qui en Amerique Latine, par exemple, est si necessaire.
L'exposition hasco sur des tli.sciplincs comme Ie sont lcs
scientifiques, doit se mener au nivea!1 des connaissances abstrai
tes et par Id marne, ma1llr6 son ohjcctivit6 dne a l'usage concret
des collections, pose 18 difficult6 de 1a communication avec un
pllbl.ic bien souvcnt ana) phahc1"c' Oll cO!lll'tant sur Illle education
cultllrclle trcs 616mentaire, comme i1 en cst ]e cas pour beaucoup
de latinoamcricains. La prcselitat.ion tradjti.onnelle por Ie moyen
3
de vitrines, de pallneaux, tableaux explicatifs et graphiqucs,
cst en fait bien difEicile i cOln!Jrondro pour les non initiAs
qui so dEvoloppont plutBt J des Iliveaux de connaissances a££ec
tives 0t/ou emotivcs. e'est principalement a cause de cela que
l'on a dit que les musees sont elitistes, pour ne pas avoir la
capscite de communication avec un public de masse. II existe
cependant plusieurs techniques pour conduire par exemple, desgroupes d'enfants au moy~n d'activites ludiques et d'expAtiencesconcr~tes determinEes. Non obstant, cos techniques ne sont pas
utilisces avec Ie grand public, dont Ie mus~ographe n'a genera
lement P:1S de connaissances ni d'analyse constitutive.
Les experiences europeennes et surtout canadiennes en ges
tion des Ecomusces ont permi et provoqu~ la participation descommunautes a la dEcouverte, In va]oration et la presentation
de leur propre patrimoine naturel et culturel, avec l'aide du
specialiste bieIl sGr, mais en action directe avec les dif£Eren-,
tes marieres disponibles. Rcvaloriscr ]e "savoir populaire" comme
partie fondamentale uos programmes ainsi que 1 'autogestion et la
considEration de 1 'espnce vital propre, comme ce qui est musealisable, a provoqu& la u6mocratisation du travail de musEe , lui
permettant de sortir de l'espace restreint et isolc du musee a
18 fa~on du XIXeme si5cle. Cette perspective permet, gr6ce 5 des
activit6s cminemment basces sur l'expErience vcclle i un niveau
af£ectif, de conduire l'individu vers d'autres niveaux plus &le
yeS dans la sphere de In connaiss"nce et ue 1 'education.
Pour conclure, jc fait mention IIU passage, de l'activite
communautaire eminemment vecue du petit "1usee Afroantil!ais de
la ville de Panama, qlli. a justcment decouvert son propre chemin
par Ie moyen de l'alltogestion nans son espace vital, par la reva
lorisation du savoir populairc, par ses traditions et ses souvenirs
4
affectifs et par son existence cn tunt que groupe social qui a
apport6 tant d'efforts a la construction du canal au d6but du
s:i:ecle.
Pour resumer, nous pouvons noter dans un simple releve des
caracteristiques de l'Ecornusee, l'interdisciplinarite, ~'integra
tion, la synthese, la participation et la democratisation.
Nous pouvons finalement concevoir, avec une vision dinami
que, la territorialite de l'Ecomusee transportee a la dimension
urbaine et transportant avec elle, ses caracteristiques. Nous
pourrions voir une evolution du temps du Parc Naturel initial
vers une mllsealisation du contexte urhain avec les resultats
sans aucun donte positifs que signifierait pour l'i\merique Latine
par exemple et pour heaucoup de groupes urbains margines du monde
Nord-Atlantique aussi., un processus semblahle en prenant compte
des caracteristiqlles violentes de destruction du Patrimoine Natu
reI et du Patrimoine Cillturel dans Ie developpement urbain impro
vise.
\..
Juillet 1983Mexico D F - Mexic'O Felipe lJICCUl'lJRE
5
SM Nair, New Delhi - India BASIC PAPER
ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT - THE INTERPRETIVE ROLE orNATURAL HISTORY .\o1USEU .\>lS
Natural History .'vluseums represent the world of nature. They
should help us to think about nature, discover the complex systems that
are part of nature and the ways man effects these, i.e., they should provide
us· with an understanding of life on earth, the factors responsible for their
well-being and the part they play in maintaining and sustaining life support
systems and the biosphere in general, vis-a-vis man's dependence on nature
and the necessity to maintain our ecological heritage free frolll dalll"ge
and destruction.
The question of maintaining and preserving our cnvironrncn t
is of greater relevance and significance today than ever before because
of the degradation already suffered by natural eco-systems the wodd over
'at the hands of man. Today more them a thousand vertebrate specie,
and sub-species, and 25,000 plant species arc threatened with extinction.
Despite the best efforts of conservationists, the destruction of the biosphere
goes on unchecked. The fact that many species and ecosystems arc being
depleted, degraded or destroyed is reasonably well known to a handful
of ecologists and conservators. l3ut the fight to save the environment
cannot be won by these professionals alone. The need then is to extend
knowledge and understanding' to. the publ ic in general and to those who
make or influence decisions. The dissemination of information aimed at
creating an awareness, an understanding and il sense of participation on
the part of the public is a top priority activity in terms of protecting
our natural world. The NaturiJl History .\o1useum can undertake this task
of communication of information and of creating public awareness through
the potential medium of exhibits and activities that it has at its commilnd.
A strong case for SIlP~
Public and governmental support is essential for the organIsa-
tion and development of any institution. It has been the experience of
6
museums in many countries that they get only a low priority in terms
of financial support, as they are considered secondary to areas of greater
national importance such as food, housing, defence and even formal education.
The increasing importance attached by governments the world over to
problems of conservation of nature and protection of the environment
presents an opportunity for natural science museums which they should
exploit. This opportunity should enable them to obtain a treatment of
priority if they reorient their objectives in line with national priorities
such as environmental education. Such a reorientation of the basic objectives
of the natural science museum does not represent any major departure
from its traditional functions. On the contrary, it would represent a logical'
trend in the evolution of the museum j tself.
An understanding of the need for conservation and wise use
of natural resources can be achieved only through a basic knowledge of
the plants and animals that exist in nature, their inter-relationships, the
factors that contribute to the maintenance of balanced ceo-systems, what
happens when these systems are disrupted or destroyed, and how man himself
is affected through such imbalances. The fundamental need therefore
is to understand life and nature as they existed, as they exist today and
as they should exist tomorrow. One of the traditional functions of natural
history museums is the presentation of specimens and information related
to the diversity of life on earth. The same information represented with
a new emphasis can provide the basic knowledge essential for intelligent
application of conservation measures.
One of the underlying purposes of projecting this over-all picture
of nature should be to focus attention on the rich natural heritage of the
region itself. This helps to create a sense of pride in one's own natural
heritage and an awareness of the need to protect it with a sense of belonging.
The presentation of this total picture of the natural heritage, with emphasis
on local fauna and flora, should be considered the foundation stone of
the museum upon which the rest of its functions could be built up.
7
For promoting environmental education, exhibits on several
aspects of Ecology, Wild Life and Conservation could be developed. A
gallery on the theme, 'how nature works' or 'understanding ecolog( can
be of basic interest. Aspects of the inter-dependence of living organisms
in various natural habitats could be portrayed here. The whole question
of biological energy starting with plants that capture sunlight to synthesise
basic carbohydrates, and flow of this energy through consumers, predators,
etc., leading ultimately to death, decomposition and natural recycling of
energy can form an excellent theme to demonstrate the basic inter-relation
ship between living organisms and the physical environment. Food chains
in different eco-systems, the role played by various organisms in maintaining
them and how man's interference has brought about disastrous consequences
can be demonstrated through well conceived exhibits. In dealing with
environment it is important to provide a positive outlook emphasising man's
role in ensuring a better environment for the future rather than presenting
a 'dooms day' approach.
The National ,'-'1useum of Natural History in New Delhi, India
is an example of a museum fully devoted to ecological studies and environ
mental education. It functions under the Department of Environment
of the Government of India. Commissioned to the public on June 5, 1978,
coinciding with the World Environment Day, the ,'-'1useum now has two
galleries, one providing a general introduction to natural science and the
other dealing with ecology and a Discovery Room for chi Idren. It has
a large number of activities to promote environmental education including
curriculum enrichment for SChools, creative activity for children, teacher
orientation programmes, special courses Ior teenagers, special programmes
for handicapped children, public lectures etc. and projects of ecological
research.
The new gallery, open('d recently, entitled 'Nature's Network
an introduction to Ecology' presents through exhibi IS and audio-visual aids
a basic exposure to the principles of ecology and man's responsibility 11)
environmental conservation. The content of this gallery is relevant to
the present symposium. A brief introductory leaflet of this museum is
apppended therefore as part of this paper.
July, 1983New Delhi - India S M Nair
Jean-Yves VElUARD, Rennes - France
Observations et reflexions
L'apparition des ecomusees s'est faite, jusqu'iciet sauf erreur de ,notre part, dans un champ geographiqueassez restreint, France et Quebec.
Dans Ie premier pays nomme, on peut se demanders'il ne s'agit pas d'une forme de rattrapage historiquedans un pays qui n'avait pas connu l'apparition desmusees de plein-air, rattrapage qui s'expliquerait parles conditions propres a la France des rapports entrela societe rurale et la societe industrielle et l'evolutionde ces rapports (la prise de conscience tardive, parrapport a d'autres pays, de i'existence d'un patrimoinetechnique et industriel, serait un autre signe). Elles'est faite pour la premiere generation -a l'exceptiondu Creusot- dans des secteurs geographiques en voie deforte recession economique et de "chute" demographiquea tel point que tels de ces ecomusees ont pu apparaitrecomme des "reserves d'Indiens".
Un deuxieme eclairage, ideologique celui-la,peut etre apporte. Certains ecomusees p~edent d'unecritique radicale des rapports entre societe et patrimoine,du refus de l'elitisme, de la socialisation et de lavalorisation monctaire ; de l'emergence, a contrario.de la priorite donnee aux gestes et pratiques quotidiennes,aux valeurs culturelles specifiqucs aux classes dominees.
Une troisieme vague d'ecomusees pourrait etrecelIe de la recuperation qui se polarise surtout surIe prefixe qui permet de jeter un vetement neuf surn'importe quel corps.
C'est surtout sur la deuxieme notion qu'ilconvient de reflechir et de faire porter Ie debat.
a) La democratisation du patrimoine, en prenantl'exemple du statut des biens patrimoniaux qui restent,BOUS une forme ou BOUS une autre, propri6t6 des habitantsdu terr~toire. Nous nous posons 1a question de 1a dureedans Ie temps d'une telle attitude en ayant a l'espritdes cas' o~ en fait cela a surtout donne un coup de fouetau march6 local de 1a brocante.
Autrement dit, la democratisation a ses lirnites quitiennent a l'environnement dans laquelle elle s'exerce.
9
b) Une nouvelle attitude par rapport au patrimoine neperdure-t-elle pas que si elle vise un horizon plus large,celui du developpement communautaire avec le risque memede faire eclater l'unanimisme du depart et de faireapparaitre des clivages plus fondamentaux.
Prenons, hypoth~se d'ecole, Ie cas d'un ecomusee oUs'est developpee une pratique communautaire exemplaireet qui voit tout d'un coup surgir un evenement : unedecouverte mini~re qui am~ne l'apport brusque et intensede populations immigrees. Comment reagira la communautede depart, des clivages n'apparaitront-ils pas entreconseillers ~e ces pratiques communautaires et les genseux-memes ?
L'exemple de l'evolution des cooperatives ouvrieresde production doitservir : certaines peuvent demeurerexemplaires, cette pratique peut etre exemplaire pourresoudre un probleme de fermeture d'entreprise, mais leurexistence n'a pas modifie fondamentalement l'economiecapitaliste.
c) Le caractere le plus novateur de la notiond'ecomusee est -entre les definitions deja existantesd'associer les notions de pratique communautaire et decentre de developpement, mais il convient alors d'appelerun chat un chat, et d'ecrire que la notion de patrimoinetelle qu'elle est habituellement re~ue n'est plus la pierrede base, mais que celle-ci est :le passe, Ie present et Iedevenir de la communaute humaine et naturelle pour laquelleon travail Ie.
July 1983 - Juillet 1983Rennes - France Jean-Yves VEILLARD
In the invitation to our 13th General Con~erence under the ~heme
"lluseums tor 8 deTeloping world" the matter "how mulleume can bemade relevant particularly 1n rapidly changlng socletles- is term-
o
ed the key problem. The conference Ilhould alllO consider - as itgoell on - "what the customor wante and how the.e needs can beencouraged in eocletieo that huve not hitherto aade full ulleof museum resources.- I think it 1e oorreot and Deoe.s&r7 toreflect upon the 8f~ect1vene8. and the kind of our .UIl~ workand ot our museums and to adapt them to our preseat time. Theretore,we need new 1dea., new exper1ence., an4 new eo1eatlfio -use'loglc~
cOED1cance. J1istory teaches Uill museal oonception., functions, andinstitutional form II changed in the course o~ hi.tory corre.pond1~ to the developing leYel of the society, tbey altogether grew8e to their eocial importanoe and at present continue to profilethemealveB. New praotices. new idea•• and ne. tendencies in thesyetemof mu8eum came into existenoe during the recent yearll.No doubt tho important ideas and praotices of the Ilo-ealledecolllUlleumc rank with. which are rigbteouely adTocated with enthusiasm and energy by our oututnuding and hishl7-elltimated eolle&«11& and IDul'leologiBt Georges Henri Hi.,.1flI·e _4 numerou8 1ike.1nded poop1!!. On principle the qU61!1tion in my opinion is to combine musewft work and mueoum in a new way with the lite of thescciety and to Integr8t~ them multifariou81y in the social andnnturlll environment. I took elmilar conceptions of a modern syetem of rou neum from \yrj.l.l.ngB llnd discussions of numerous othercoilencul!a, r!.r:,. from the wr1.t Inf;O of our North-American colleap;ueG.Elliu rur::llw. for innl.llllce from l1in intereotlng article"Can r.illtory be too 1:1.\'<:1:;":'" (;9/30)
In our L'.uaeum of Agrnric-.I, }:letory ill Alt Schwerin, GDR. we a160
try to do n;u~eum work t" thia w,,'y. Hi th our experience of twenty
yearn I want to oTlUl!lertite Borne fnots., At the foundetion of thlfl
auseUlTl 1'96) we did not wnnt to build' up a looslly 1s01sted 1JlU
eeum, but to rinl! the experiment to establish a dec.ntral1eed
1 1
museum complex within a furth.r on exi.tiD« and liTely developing village of ou.r tJ.r1A. TI)'\6Y. after twenty years. we CQll aaywe were suecessful with this experiment. Villag•••useum. andagrieulture are fully integrated and form an eff.ctive unity.enpeclnll:; ,:oncerning the teaching and education of more than50 000 annunl vieitore. The little village itaelf has only :>00
inhabitants. The pessants and other villagers. however, had stillanother argument. 196}: they were afraid or"being musealiBed".there would be no further development. they would be "moth-ballt;d".Today the integration of the farmers in the museum ie hl~hly
advanced, for the eomplete life of the village is attentivelywatched by the visitors. fOnd the farmers tl'omselves do not onlyparticipate 08 museum guides. give explnnntions and information.but they themoel VCG· are integrated in thtl documentation and interpretation of the cxhlbitiollfJ 'N.; ti: the desGription of tJH;irliveB Rnd families or even aD livid reports and testimoniesof the pallt. Vice vereB the professional museo1ogists a.re multifariously integrated in the 80cial life of the village, in func~ions. a8 parliamentarians. aD 10a4ers and partiGipant. of cultural clubs, eports orgnnj~Btions.etc.
As to the erllibitlone we followed the principle to 1nte«rat•• ore than twenty various proper ~xhlbit. in the Tillac. 80 thatthe different b18torlc~1 epochG of the pat...4 their d1ffer.ntfields are topically confronted with the pre.ent buildings.establishments and rlnction. of the village. ~••ethod of eonfrontation makes it possible to the visitor. and particularlyto the youth to have an obvious compar~80n of pa.t and,presentti•••• and it Is very effective from pedagogioal view.Some examples of Buch practiced eonfrontation., authenticallyto the kind of dwelling of the people there are preserved notonl7 Tarioue re.idential bulldinge and flata with the completeinYentory from about~870, 1910, end 1949. but also continuou.lyfrom 1963. Automatically there are already inolud.d residentialco.plexes 1969/70 and 1980. and made obvious to the T1eitor.Wot only the former prlmit1Ye old one-farm-aohool froa aboute .1900 wae praerved and restored. but sleo the part. ot the new.o~ool of 1976 which were banded over to the au••ua a. a coaplexwith the eomplete inTentory. There are similar obTiou. oontron-
12
\
~aUon. iD the f1e1.4 Of the ....&1 ,"V'• •t tile -anftuhhtory. w. ocmtJ'Ollhd, for 1natu.o•• til tt-.l ecnr-1u plane of 1965 ud modern traotm ad 1wU7 .,..t._of the prennt agrloul turo with the variou•. ' ••eloping .taco_of form.r agrloul~ working in.be_t•• w. an14 a aer. teohnlo-ehow, but d.-on.trato tho 010•• oomaeotl_ ot the buaan. .b.iq 8114 hill .001al olrclDl.llano•• with the worJtiq in.tl'Wllentu4 the aachln.. 'l'h. qu••UOIl 1. the II8II1to14. o.pla: iDhsra1;101l of all 0OllP__t. ot the _001&1 .11f•• tor BYea iD the re.11117 of the .001al 11t. th.r. are ao~17 DO leolahcl, .ecrepte4. d.ad part•• OODlleqaeaU7 8\1.... &D4 ...... work o\llbtto be 01).10u.17 ud Y1Y1417 cODDeote4 with the pr••eat 1Ila7 ot
I
lU. u4 ought to jre.oUHll,. "n.., noh a ~1tJ' with nor •••rY.tion. Here I.e. a 4eoi.i.e ..... to 1Doreae~ the roleot 8\1.oua work ottoot1.017 tOJ: the benetit ot the .ool.t7, 8114at the same t1me to contributo to a grow1~ r ••p... ot 8\1.eologIst. and museums in our de.e10piDg world. That a.8I1. tor our.oi_tltle mueeeleglesl work to take iDto aooollDt tho role ofinterdi_clpllnarit7 aore iDtene1TelYJ tor .....t aot 4.t..4the _till neceseary uni41sc1p1iDar1ty unilateeal17. Interd1.
clpliDarlty 88 .ell .e unldleolpliDar1ty are 1a41.,...~bl.partn.re of a modern lIIuee1ml work.
July 1983Alt Schwerin - GDR
Klaus Schreiner
13
Manuela doMota, Li~boa - Portugal
, ,::LJS~',:;:; "TL,L:JTUl,,,- " SOCIETE
CommcntoircG Q propos des communications prepar6es
pour Ie r6union du Comit~ International de Mu~colo-
gie Londrcs 1903 - par Marie Manuela Mota, Conser-
vateur Principal au MusAe C. Gulbenkian, Li8bonne-Portugal
Ayant re~u avec beaucoup de retard les~~ommuni
cations ct les cammentaires qui m'ont At~ envoy6s par
Vinos Safka au moment 06 Je me trouvais en france,avoc
mes ~llivos do muscologie,en visite d'IHude; aux ~lus~es
de ce pays, je n'ai disposli que de quelques jours pour
reflexir sur Ie contenu de ces importants articles.
Ce m~mc voyage, Qui m'a permis de visiter en
-detail 17 Mus~es at Organismes musliaux, ~changeant des
points de vue evec les responsables. m'a cependant permis,
avec plus d'assurance,de donner mon opinion sur Ie probl~
me des £comus6es.
Je rcgrette que des difficult6es d'ordre professio~
ncl et mctcriel m'emp~chent d~ participer beet important
d6bat mais jo tiens ~ y apport~r ma collaboration promise •
•• •
~ L'6vantail des communications est tr~s riche at
reflecte dans sa totalit~ l'importance incontest~e que
l'£cologie a pris dans toutes les branches de la eonnais
sence. II est souhaitable que cheque jour un plus grand
nombre d'hommas, femmes et anfants compreane at accepte
que 10 Nature est un systh~me global auquel ll(humain)
appartient at que,les Lnt8vactions mutuelles 6tant de
touto premibre importance pour la sur vie des es~tces, taus
les efforts doivent atre entrepris pour que l'llur.lanitO
porticipe consciamment ~ Ie sauvegarde du mer veilleux equi
libre naturel. Les Hus~es sont, sans doute, des instruments
de ch~i= pour l'Oducetion mesologiquc •
•• •! Ayont lu 1u tatzlitc des th~ces et c~s cOwmentaires
Jc cmnstatc 4uC les opinions se divisent entre ceux quiacceptant l'ocomus6e tel quo G.H.Rivibre l's d~rini', et
Itl' cbomi,,;:;~~C' J,o;nm",-touriste" qui fi:oclement ne cherche,
lei _, r;~1'2 r:Jic:u;.; C:Jr,na1:tro Ie rays qu'il tr,"v~rse.
16
lc r':::ul (.I"i e"i"tc t"~j~ par rapport -:lUX prcl;licro DCC,·'
~US~CD pcrmet de ju~~r dOD r~sultats at il cst damage qulon nopuiese pas voire cette analyse sur les rapports present~s~
D'apr6o cc que j'ei pu observor sur place, un certaindesancllante.mElOt l!l rcmplad! l' enthousiasma et l' optimisme dud~but. ~UClquDS ecomu5~es, une fois Ie terrain de recherched~blay~, sc voyent transform~s en institut et laboratoirepour biologucs, ethnologues, sociologues etc: Pourquoi elorevouloir l'appeller Mus~e, s'il est devenu tout eutre chosB ?
Peut-on demander un effort soutenu au fil des enri~es ~ une
population, mOmc plcine de bonne volont6 ? je doute~
Et nous retrouvons Ie conservateur seul face ~ une tacheenorme qu'il ne peut pas mener comme il 1 avait rAv~•
•• •
~ Au dire de Veillard la finalit~ de flnstitution Mus~e
~tant celIe dt~tre des eveilleurs de conscience collectivepour une meilleure gestion du devenir de notre pleb~te (pg.
"'\60, dossier vert), -&lgr~ que l'ecalogie soit ~ l'ordre dujour,je ne creis pas souhaitable que tous les mus~es deviennent des mus6es ~colegiques. L'Oeuvre d'Art, la vraie, ason message propre,et comprsndre et simer la beautd est sussiun eveille de consciencej' ainsi je m'~loigne de StrAnsky
quand il d~fend une orientatio1Fcol09ique pour tous les mus~e$;
(pg.3) 5i je ns suis pas d'accord avec l'ecomus~e commeun nouveau type de mus~e)je suiscependsnt tr~s pour uneprogramation de type ecologique dans la plupart des mus~es
ou pour des expositions temporaires, fixes ou itinerentss,
qui sauront presenter la realit~ visible dans l'object-te
moin qui forme sss collections, integr6edans les grands
s;st§mes §cologiques
Tous les Mus~es ant leur terroir at leur population.
11 faut savoir Iss trouver et le~ evelller
Ce sera dans leurs prcgrammes et leur dynamisme qu'ilsse doivent de chcrder J.a participation des populationsaux probl~mes culturels e mesologiques.
,".
17
~. Pour ter~incr,je resume ma pens~e en affirmant
que Ie conccpt-m@me de mus6e est tr6a clair, sufisament
flexible pour couvrir une typologie vari6, maie qu~a cependant
des limites qui pcrmettent de 1e distinquer per rapport ~
d'autre~institutionsde culture.
L'ecomue~e a tendancB
un autre type d'institution
Cesar ce qui est ~ Cesar at
qui leur appartient.
Juillet 1983Lisboa - Portugal
a depas8er ce. limites devenant
culturs11s. lalssons done !
donnons aux Mus6es 1e grande tache~.
Manuela da MOTA
18
Tomislav Sola, Zagreb - Jugoslavia SUMMARY
"L'i0lllUsee assure lea fonctions de recherche, conservation,
presentation, explication d'un eusemble coherent d'elements
naturels et cultux'els, representstifs d'un milieu de vie et
de travail. 11 exprime, pour un territoire, les relations
entre l'homille et 1& uatQra ~ travers Ie temps et l'lespaqe;
11 se compose de biens d'interet scientifique at culturel
reconnus, rerreeentatifs du patrimoine de la co~aute qUil
Bert (biens imwobiliers non batis, espaces naturels sauvagee,
geoloeilJ"es .•• sienal€'s 8t e:>....,Uqve:'1. n dst l:l.1.s en place et
fonctionne avec 1a paL,tic.L~)ation de 1a population qui y trouvs
un llIoyen de ;'I'ise de conscience et ti' expression de son patl'illloinc
et lie son 'le'lelop;pelQent."
Definition de l'ecoillusee adoptee en 1978 par la Conference
permanente des pares."
(quotation frow HI.'. ;jeavalees' contribution)
19
Ltl ecoml4S4it>s Va P'GIflCl supplCmcntaire a Cte ac:oornpli ave<: l'ero"llUit • in"aJU' parHlII- de VariDe ct o.oraa·Hcnri Pjviere qui. dana Ie mime esprit, va CIlCClR
phil loin en intearanl non lCUIanent lei habitantl, viaiteun dcvenus acteun.PlII'ti<:ipant i la vie du mua«., mail nUili l'ticoloaie de la rqion rurale au industrielle qui I'environnc, marquant aina; une eupe fonda.ma1t.a1e par rapport aumusile de plein-air du siec:le demier. •c lnierdiKipliDaire par excellence, it combine un mut«: du Temps debouo:h&I1tlut 'a prospective awt elements eclares d'un musee de J'Eapacc '.Un ec:omusee, c'est un mimir ou ectte population se retude. pour I'Y reconnaitre. ou elle cherche I'explication du territoire auquel elle est altachec,jointe.celie dea populations qui I'y ont precedCe dans la dillContinuite ou la coatinuitedes lena-Ilions. Un miroir que celte population tend. SCI hOles. pour I'en fairemielu comprendre dans Ie respect de IOn travail, de !itS componementl, de IOnintimite.C'est un musCe de l'ho:nrne c: de la nature. L 'homme y est inurprete danl IOnmilieu naturcl. La nature rest dans sa lIuvAicrie, malS tdle ausai que la aoc:ietetradilionnelle et la societe industrielle l'ont adapcCe a leur ulliC.Cest un musCe du temps, quand l'explK:ation rcmonte en~ du temps ou"homme cst apparo, s'etalle Ii travers lea temps preniaturiq\ll"..s et biatoriquClqu'il ,. "eeus, debouche sur Ie temps qu'il "iL Avec: unc ouvcnute sur la tempsde demain, sans que, pour mutant, I'ecom...ee Ie POle en dec:ideut, mail, elf I'oc·currence, joue un role d'information et d'analYIe critique.
Un mus« de I'cspace...Un con!lCl'\'atoire, dane la meallre "Ii il aide i pre.erver ct i IIICnn en valeur Iepatrimoine de culture et de DIlIlle de II population CClIlOmIie.Un labomtoire, dans la mesure ou iI eat ni&liCre • Ctudu tbeoriqua III p"'asi'lues, autom' de c:ettc population cot de son miliw.Une eeole, dans la me,ure oli iI aic!4! A In forlllation dca apec;,liltel im.Ci I. icette populalion el • 10ft milieu, ou ii incite c:ette populetioG • mice appri:.dcr lei problem<:5 de ron jX'OPre Ivaiir.Ce conserv:ltoire, « laboratoire, ceue Coole z'in!piroIIt de pnnapca c:cmmun. : la culture doni ;l~ &<: recl_t est i et'tcndrc ~ 10ft MIll Ie r;thlliarp. ctils s'att.cllent il en f.ire r~tre lIS d.piu '1t I'upreuion Qttistiqve, lkquclquc couche de Iii population qu'en anlMllt la manifestation.. Dn DC ,'en,ferment pas en ewt·nWmea., ils ~i..,e"l et dot!nrnL • (G.H.Il.)
l'ecomusee du Creusot·Moo:ou,,·Iu-HiDa CIt typiq\lC • cet tprrI, fCII'IlIIIIUtllix-huil communes de III ~ion. Veritable IPfIIde ic/ali, i: qic CI!I cMbon de _murs en constituant un rescau d'antennes diveni8ia ct deccatraliMa, lie il'hi'toire socie.le et lUX prOoccllplltionl des babitUlII : muD: de Ia Vip ovrevitalilltion d'unc tuiieric llaalfcctec, il peut _i rwiser un JlC'OITconoac:re. en pleine rCaion "inioole. • la vie muaulmllne pollr un gand IIOtIIbred'ouvriers tures employes par une indultrie locale. U est lul1Dilt Ie muaee vivar.tde 11lomlr'e industriel, et pri:lentc touta la phass de SOD travail. ranlCri damson contexte, dans I'Atelier des arues et lCK:Omoti"ea (,OJ au Centre de lec:ture cIeIpaYSlies.
-----------_._---------
20
To :10 a cOi'J~~ila.thll;..ti..::· t ".'_'''''''1' all earlY task but I didn't
find it 80: sO::le of the qut~,ol.·s"tre known authort ties and it
proved to be Ii diffi0ult task to reinterpret what has been sa
well put. However, I 2rcfered an active attitude, 80llletilllea
arbitrary as a"compilatio'~" proved to be also a matter ot 'f&
loriz.atian of contri.butio!ls. Compared to the po.itive amqunt
ot theoreti~al and practical data about new ideas an&a~co.-·..,
pliiJ.hments i.n museum world, some contributions appeax.ed to be
inadequately informed, and the. mere task of summing it all up
appeared unattractive. ThuB I .. ,lar~d to call upon Bome other
authoriti elS anl;. alided ,ny (,,·m ideas where I found it possible
and convenient t.o tile subje,'t matter. Therefore, thi's paper is,_
unfortunately, not a repol·t on seven presented papers 'but ~ittle
lIIo1'e,-01' less, as tile judge,uent is left to you. ~ere is however
• one thing for -.uicn I count on all your generous unders'taD.ding:
lI1'1 poor knOWledge of this beautiful language is a limiting tac
tor of understanding and a1 so was 'in Wl':l. tine; the ideas down •
.. I t1'ust the need and intention .to have this opprotunity used
to;Q clarifying the l)heno:~enology of ecoinuseUlllS as cODllfH:ted to
ecology. It is also a good idea to strenghten the int~d1sci
plinary character of museology'by inviting.experts or specific
science to give thei!; interpretation ortha p&r:ticu-
1ar. science, ecology in this case, and its connection to IllUseWis.,.In that sense I appreciateu the contribution of Mr~ Terra~.'
and will retu:'n to it.
21
I must say I was afraid of such a broad instruction as given
by the title of the symposiu~ and vas soothed when it proved
to b·e the eCOIDl.lSeums, as the theme. In the first ca.ae we :would
have contribut~ons of infinite variety wbi.~etha latter gi"f'es
opportunity of useful discussion. However, one muet S&y tha~ it•
v~d be hard to expect any revol~tionary novelty within the
th.me aa the whole matter was sufficiently well trea~ed ., rare
The theme seems to me the one bearing the moat pr06re,.~iv•. pa.'rt
or contemporary lIIuse'~ practice and IDuseology so, I see it,as
an ideal circumstance for all the participants to serve t~8e
aims.' Important opportunity is also the spreading.at in!oraati
on and concept an,; ·}achint:; so:ne shared conviction that th~,
id~a of.ecomuseum has in conseq~ence, a revolutionary value.
l1aJ:l.y of you will find tilat the ecology is not the moet .illlpor
tent part of eCOt:lUSecllD thewe. IJith an exception of Mr. Terradl1s·.
two other contributions (Str'anslcy, Schneidel') were overburdened
with ecology wi thin ecomus~u!u phenomenon. However. the. approach
was. suggested by the disposition of the symposium which put Bome.overweigQ.t on ecological a;pl'oach.
To Mr. 'l'erraaas' oppin.ion the only theoretical advantage ot
ecology comes from its ability to bring about some concepts like
the concept of eco-syatem: that enables us "to find ourselves, .
once again at the analysis of systems and it opens us a gate
~o:W&$.·ds the hope that the pl'ogressive integration of specific'
s~enti!ic disciplines will come through in some~argedmodel ••• "
22
In a general sense the following ....otation from !'lr.Terrad8e'
paper brings us ne&per to discussing the nature of &comuseums:
"The need to transre!.' t",e information and knowledge and to'...make then more sensibilized i~ an emotional sense ~hich takes
us fl'om pedagogy toward s ~ctive an int erdi sciplinar;r methods,
haa to be supported for the muse,uns too". ECO!llUS8Ul11ii can,•
indeed, boast of such an abilit:;r. If we follow the de?elOppll8'llt. . .
01' the theme in r~·. Terradas' paper, museums are there atth.
third posi tion~ not a Uluseum professional) and 'lt~ l;i.ke· to••
think about them occupying the first position: it fa 'not that
musewns can ~lso do something about it but they can do more
than ot;lers <::an; ;::ven i r the keel,i.ne; of the eCQ'logical balmc.::
isc.onsidted a central ~:'o1;lel:i. ~jr. Stransq is alao warnine;
that "the ecolo£;ica1 af"l'l'o'H·.h to the reality is very urgent~
(the reason ~)eing "critic".l situati.on of mankind") but,. again"
we do speak aLJout COl"rect t!1(~~es I well exposed. bu·t eco-!Aua~.
theme is not the most ap:""'o~)~'iate frame ...'hen identified with
""""ecological" ecO-WUaeIUJS ;"re obviously something els"Mhat is
why tlIWl.. i-11' • .:>tran8k:;r says tilat "e;eneral ~c()logical approach to
the rea!~ty shouln be differentiated•••• from ecology as such••• "
Concentrating bis thinkint; too f.il·mly on ecol0l5:1. 'Mr. StrlLllllk;y
assumes that ecological orientation of a museum, means, althougt
not forcefully, a conversion into an sco-museum.
,E. Schneider calls his paper a qontribution "to the' discussion
about so-called eco-UI"-..lseum" wbier. all believers of eCO-lIUleUilS, ,tnvevitably take in bad part,because or that auSpicious tone
atter so much effortlanrl in so many yeers.
23
The contribution of l'l':l:. Haak from AIlIsterdaJll Historical IllUseum
is a precious witnessing of a nevoted museum director ot AOw
the museum was established and run but it misses to treat'the
'precise problemiadicated 5ive~bY the title.
Founding ecomuseums:
"The iniciative (for founding an eco-museum, note T.S.} ,istht','
tact of a group ••••within ~~ original s~ructure, difte#eQt in
every case". That is what Nr. H. de Varine says ,abO~t t~undill8
an ec~-museum 1. ~e &.all s~latter on how import'ant trutn. it
takes into account.
fu·. 'ieillard (~olJlllli.ng from Rennes may be taken as a relevant•
he knew the specificy ot.
a Psynthetical· mus~um (museenet~ork 5.5
"to be an invitation to discovery, which
vi tness to the r-om.ing Il}l '11' ec.:o-:auseums: "Georges Henri Rivi.re
created, aftel' the secon~wo!.'ld war, in 1946-47, an :idea of the
network of tlleluatic and area museums (orig.: musees de themes
et de pays) for each region w!licil
The firm point of U.at. ,
de synthese) which has
tl'acee out the link oetween t:le ilistOl'y of certain region,
people that live and work tilere and their environment". Georges
Henri even gay£; a plan.of !)EH'L1anent exb.ibit'ion: trOll evocation
of natural cO'!lcii tions 11I' to "ont eIllpora~:y S1. tuation. Onl, 'much
la.tter (1958-1960.) wa; "ilorges Henri liiviel'e able to make con
crete his ideas. The ~roject was ~lunicipal Museum or Bre~e
in Rennes. fu'. Terranas is ObJ;~SlY qui~e right "hen eoncluding
24
that _ each "lnvil'onJDent, as a loethod of its valori.8ation, should,~e have in leimea i.e.create "a coherent presentation". '.Jhat
. ',. . "basically a coherent presentat1on.
Mr. COLLIN claims that some ten years time is necessa~7 for
an eco-museum to be in functioninG (the example of Mont Loz~re
confirms the fact). According to him a vast and p~~to~d rese-o •
arch is at the begining of that process. The research of eTery
~spect of ~~ritage, with the present included, must lead to aa
pert'ect p«ux'e as possible. It always and n~c.~ssarily is: a te&lll-_.work. The work 1s of a special profoundness as l~includ.~ the
balancing all kinds of data sources into a trust'wO~1:b;r iage111.<..11_
ot the total enviro~ent. Thus. says that the oral tradition,
even when it does not have a scientific basis has to be ine1u
ded and presented being the l'elevant_ featurIe of the cultural
context. Finall~, all the specialist contributions in the esta
blishing an eCO-:D'.lset:..J ~ave to be tl'anslated into B. "ne~anguage"by the help of nmuseol5:L'a~,hy" that has to be "clear, concise,
atractive, va"ip-d II.
'!'he ~a.per of r-lr. Collin is ~'l'eseDted under the title ~Q-museum
or Mont-~o1.ere" but, harrily enough he speaks about eco-museu:n
in gsneral and the testiwony, lis ;,e is the curator in ~!ont
-Lozere, more then is ~~acious. I ~ouJi therefore recommen~t
as a reference to anybody eRtablishing an eco-museum ar taking
it serious matter as it is.
I believe we Olrie till tile cOlllI,liments also for the contribution
"ECOlDus8ums" by I1r.Jesvallees, Mothel' account or veIl acquain
ted museologist. He traces the history at the rise of ec~eums.
The term was created by Mr. de 'larine, as he simplifies and the
25
whole idea, the concept, as it was already mentioned, by 11r.
Rivi~re. According to Mi'.Desvallees there were two phases in
the creation of ecoamseU.IJs. The first was creation•. troll 1967.
onwards, of regional natural pares. In order to protect and
document various segments of ecosystems they were added difte
rent museum objects. This b~tself helped to widen the ~ure
ecological concept and in 1968. on the island ot Oueeeant a
"house of techniques and tradition. ouesaantine" _.Open~
to becollle thus, as i·lr.Desvallees reters lIa station of the first
eco lIIuseum in France". Under the second phase ot the ~velop
ment ot the ecomuseum concept he puts the appearance of an
ecomusewn wi thin the frame of "urban connmity ot Creueot•
Montceau-les-~lines". That was in 1971, as Mr. Desvallee8 tels
us. The museum was lIa cultural establishment that wanted to be
much closer to the population than traditional mueeums- and
which would "substitute the notion of permanent collection by
that of community heritage ll -term taken form, as Mr.Denallees
quotes, ~lr. de ~arine. It is the latter, Mr.Riviere and Mr.
Evrard that "denotc<i most clearly the charactel' of an ecomuseum
and who made Creusot the principal reference model". To Mr.
Deevalees the sythesis of the two phases happened et the rOOM
cOloqUium in LollI'marin in 1972. when the first definition ot
ecomuseum was adovted. 11r. Desvallees wight be easily right
although I find the thesis rather too silllple. I.t' indeed. Mr•. '
Riviere stal'ted with the variaticns of the ecomuseum concept
as early as late forties and the r'!useum of Bl'eta6Ilecan be.. ,.;~
regal'ded as one of those projects anticipating the final vel'sion,
the tillleofsytheSiS appears to be rather late if it happened in
1972. Besidrls, is it not again putting too mucr. stress upon eco26
logical as::;>ect of thp. story if it 5eems loe;ical that the
l'egional natural parcs ~'_ ,jf".c ted froUl the "Acoilluseum" concept,
the one that resultt:lL1 in Creusot Uluci1 before the Creusot was ~nally
born? The question lnay not be really impol'tant bQt stresses
the markation line betveen ecology and ecocuseums in which
the first is only one awong a few aspects of the latter. Mr.
de Varine, on his part, says that the first ecomuseum (Creusot
Montceau-les-I-lines) was accolllplished in 197;. If the date of
birth is correct this sY!~r>0sium has an obligation more. It is
interesting !'act t~1at ;'lI.'. '!arine li at s only two more ecomuseums
as "real" ones: St Quenti!! en Yvelines and Beauvaisis. Among
these institutions sti.ll trying to reach the standard he lIIenti-•
ons Valee ue l'OndaL:e, ;endee, Suj-Avesnois ect. That was the
•state of affail'p.s i:1 1'="':'8. so it wo"ld be intel'e~ting to know
the cl.anges. iiaving a vel'Y ~lear ~>icture 'Jf what an ecomuseUln
should be OIlt! may find t'l e &lOrt 1i st use ful. :Iow.lver, tLe nlILl1:,e~'
<io:.;,bt.
theoretical , a .. k(:t"· '0 Ul": • .,...,.,.u C...v.L I '.~) ~'-.. '.) ," well tilat tile ~l1lseologi0al
of eCOIllUSe'lln ': ...s pl':::co:",d.,nts. ;1:!:. St':"i:U1sk'J tri8.1 to enlis'i; ~(j"i';
of the past ar;C~li:'lk"''''lli;.1 that contextuali7e the idea.
27
Th" terl'itory constant- ,
Thjteversp. order of the title of the symposium would make
sense as it WQuld S.'10W that a museum is the "consequence" of
the other two elements. The territory itself as ~~.»e8Valees
says io " t:l" one where 3. certain cultural identification
makes sense". ,;'0, 0:1 t:.e ,"efiniD8 the cultural element we lIIal'k
the s~'read (,f CU1 p.colDuseul1' s territoral aspect.
Tne 'cent:'a1 if'lsne of an e,::o!lluseUlu ill, like wit}, all the muse-'
ums (only ;~ore c1~al.'ly), - the identity. Even the ecological
catastrophy, whi~h a f~w contributors mention (as fundaaental
beac!tg!'oun(! ~10tiva), 1)1i5i.::ally is the identity crisi.l.hroug!l
the total <.:hange 'of li f~ circwastances. An eCOl/lUseum is the
newest, the w0st effective con~ept of systelDathic fiEWt for the
identi ty of tile cel'tai.rl whole, ac,~()t'di.ng to its natural and
cultural specificulD. It is a reafirmation of collective ego,
collective conscience, of .::ollecti.ve sensibility. ThinS' do
~ange• .As t1:e global w1.l1age stSl:tCJ to experience the fear
of disssterolAs lmifol'Lmldss,. the concept' of the world's citi
zenship undergone so'ue euanges wh.i.ch may b.¥slled the unity of
diversities.
One of the flmda~enta1 few rlefinition e1e~ents of an ecolDUseum
that of the territory is found as such by Mr.7eillard: "~e
terlll'territol'y'is linked to that of f!COlilUSeUlll which always is.'
defined as haviD8 a luultudisciplinsl'y approach to the relations
ot the people to tha.t terri tOl·Y". :ZcolDUseUllls of urbc. environ
ment (if we accept that prOVisional term) i.e. neighborhood mu
seums have rather similar territorial ambitions and obey the
same logic. 28
Innovation of ecomuseums
Judging by the contributing authors and by the possible ques
tions one likes to pose. the good point of discussion still is
the innovation of eCOilluseuws as compared to the traditional
IIUseum concept •
......e S'till find it difficult to CO"l~)l'ehend the term ecomussum
because the word "ilIUSel!ill" is not conceived fox' the public as
much as tor a closed site evoking the facts of the past. The
eco~useum is a living Jced intimately mingled into the everyday
life, - opened towards the future because it mean~ territory
with its inhabitants, their activities, their natural and cultu
ral heritage" (Mr. GGllin). Tl.'ue aifferentiation, but one cottle.•
go further: eCOliluseUlfi:; are the Juainstream of the museum ;:,'evoLt-
tion; tradi tic,nal !:Iuseu,ns have 3.CCCJ;J9Ii s:CeJ their lai. ssion and
(as tlle concc9t) !nost of the..} can be only an obstacle for the