(Un)Learn Museum Architecture – A Critical Examination Of Museum Architecture Regarding The New Icom Definition* Of 2022

Abstract

Although the architecture of museums often radiates dominance and power, the spatial aspect is frequently neglected in the current critical debate on museums. This contribution illustrates in different ways a critical look on museum architecture – regarding the latest museum definition of the International Council of Museum (ICOM) from 2022. The concept of (un)learning – discarding old structures or rethinking them – therefore takes a central position to develop transformative, spatial conditions for museum architecture. They are later applied to two museums from North-Rhine-Westfalia – the Museum Abteiberg and the Kunstmuseum Bochum. This work shows on the one hand the potential of spatial interventions in a process of change and on the other hand wants to encourage the reader to question the extent to which these spatial and institutional boundaries can be overcome.

Keywords: museum architecture, (un)learn, ICOM museum definition, spatial interventions, institutional critique