M USEOLOGICA BRUNENSIA
STUDIE/ARTICLES
THE IMPORTANCE OF ATMOSPHERE AND SPATIALITY IN CREATING SOCIAL EXPERIENCES
MARTIN BRANDT DJUPDRÆT https://doi.org/10.5817/MuB2019-1-1
ABSTRACT/ABSTRAKT: i návštěvu muzea jako společen- • a forum where visitors’ social ský zážitek. Obojí může napomoci identity can be shown, and The aim of the article is to analyse k posílení návštěvníkovy vlast- the influence of atmosphere and ní identity a procesu poznání, • a forum where the museum’s reminiscence in the social space of ke kterému může dojít, když stories and contents are discussed. the museum. In the 1990s, museum návštěvníci sdílejí svoje znalosti theorists drew attention to the fact a zážitky. The social museum experience that museum visitors play a part in meets both personal and social constructing their museum visits KEYWORDS/KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA: needs. This aspect of the use of and also focused on the importance authenticity – remembrance – museums is worth considering in of the social context in the museum dementia – social context – personal the light of how it can be supported visit. Using examples of interior at context in the museum spaces and the Danish open-air museum Den autenticita – vzpomínání – communications. Gamle By dated to 1950s and 1970s demence – společenský kontext – the article analyse how museum osobní kontext It is also worth bearing in mind space and communications support that a normal visit to a museum is both the visitors’ experience of in fact a shared social experience. their own history and experiences, Museums are stories. They are People rarely visit museums alone. and the visit to the museum as art, science, history, things that Numerous surveys of how visitors a social experience. Both can happened once upon a time, and use museums have documented help to strengthen the visitor’s traces of life. They are content. that visiting a museum is a joint own identity and the learning experience with other people.1 process which can take place when An aspect that is just as important, visitors share their knowledge and however, is the visitors’ own This article focuses on the museum experiences. needs. The museum is a space that as a social space, and will analyse people choose in the belief that the 1 One of these surveys has collected figures Důležitost atmosféry a prostoru museum can fulfil the individual nationwide since 2009 from the majority of pro vytvoření společenských visitor’s personal and social needs. Danish museums. The percentage for how many zážitků Museums can be used to tell people visit a museum in company with others varies from year to year, but lies between 91 % and about who they are, and to show 95 %. LUNDGAARD, Ida Brændholt and Anna Cílem článku je analyzovat others their values and interests. Maria FOLDGAST. National brugerundersøgelse 2011. Copenhagen: Kulturstyrelsen, 2012, vliv atmosféry a vzpomínek ve Confirmation of one’s own identity p. 28; JENSEN, Jacob Thorek and Ida Brændholt společenském prostoru muzea. happens when there are others LUNDGAARD. MUSEER – Borgere og Bæredygtige Løsninger [online]. København: Kulturstyrelsen, V devadesátých letech muzejní teo- present, and experiences from the 2015, p. 68 [accessed 2019-01-20]. Available retikové poukazovali na skutečnost, museum are shared. This type of from www:
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the influence of atmosphere and reminiscence in the social space. The cases used in the article are primarily taken from the Danish open-air museum Den Gamle By (The Old Town in Danish), where in recent years special focus has been directed to studying and developing the museum as a social space.2
Theories of the museum as a social space
In the 1990s, the museum theorists Kenneth Hudson, George Hein, Gaynor Kavanagh, Elaine Heuman Gurian and others drew attention to the fact that museum visitors play a part in constructing their museum visits.3 A visit to a museum should no longer only be understood on the basis of the objects and what the museum Fig. 1: Falk and Dierking’s The Interactive Experience Model. was showing, but should include and be seen from the angle of the visitors’ own history and the Museum Experience.4 In their book common stories you share with agenda they brought with them they introduced the Interactive your companions; to the museum. The social aspect Experience Model, where, besides of a visit to a museum was part the visitor’s personal context and • The Physical context – the of this extended understanding the physical space, they add the setting, the room, the objects and of the museum and the museum social context as a third important other physical surroundings of the experience. Museum and learning element in the museum experience. visit.6 researchers John H. Falk and Later on, Falk and Dierking revised Lynn D. Dierking emphasised this the model and renamed it the Falk and Dierking’s element in 1992 in the book The Contextual Model of Learning, acknowledgement of the social and added more examples of the aspect of the experience and three aspects of the museum informal learning at the museum experience.5 The main point of the are in line with the attention 2 This article was first presented as a lecture revised model remained the same, focused by Albert Bandura held in May 2018 at Centre of Museology at however: the museum experience and David A. Kolb and other Masaryk University. I would like to thank Judita Matyášová, Denisa Brejchová, Komise pro práci has three primary contexts: researchers on the social aspects s veřejností a muzejní pedagogiku AMG, Lucie of learning in the 1970s and Jagošová and the Centre of Museology for making the visit at Masaryk University possible. I will also • The Personal context – your own 1980s, and in the growing field of thank students at Centre of Museology for good history and experiences; investigations in recent decades response to my lecture, World Translation for help with translation and colleagues at Den Gamle into social learning theory and 7 By for useful discussions about the topics of the • The Social context – who is with social learning spaces. article. you when you visit the museum, 6 FALK, John H. and Lynn D. DIERKING. The 3 GURIAN, Elaine Heuman. Noodling Around and the social setting and the Museum Experience. Washington, D.C.: Whalesback with Exhibition Opportunities. In KARP, Ivan and Books, 1992, pp. 1–7; FALK, John H. and Lynn Steven D. LAVINE (eds.). Exhibiting cultures: the D. DIERKING. Learning from Museums: Visitor poetics and politics of museum display. Washington, Experiences and the Making of Meaning. Oxford: D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991, pp. 4 FALK, John H. and Lynn D. DIERKING. AltaMira Press, 2000, p. 10; FALK, John H. and 176–190; HEIN, George E. Learning in the museum. The Museum Experience. Washington, D. C.: Lynn D. DIERKING. The Museum Experience London: Routledge, 1998; HUDSON, Kenneth. Whalesback Books, 1992. Revisited. New York: Routledge, 2013, pp. 26–29. The Museum Refuses to Stand Still. Museum international, 1998, vol. 50, no. 1, pp. 43–50; 5 FALK, John H. and Lynn D. DIERKING. Learning 7 BANDURA, Albert. Social learning theory. KAVANAGH, Gaynor. Making histories, Making from Museums: Visitor Experiences and the Making Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1971; KOLB, Memories. In KAVANAGH, Gaynor (ed.). Making of Meaning. Oxford: AltaMira Press, 2000; FALK, David A. Experiential learning: experience as the histories in museums. London: Leicester University John H. and Lynn D. DIERKING. The Museum source of learning and development. Englewood Press, 1999, pp. 1–14. Experience Revisited. New York: Routledge, 2013. Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1984. The literature
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In the terms of Falk and Dierking’s model, museums can primarily control one of the contexts: The physical context. As this article will describe, however, by orchestrating the museum’s spaces and content, it is also possible to influence the other two contexts.
Den Gamle By
The museum I will use as a case study in this article is Den Gamle By, which is where I work. Time- wise, Den Gamle By is an open-air museum which shows the pre- industrial period and periods in Fig. 2: One of the flats in the 1974 town district. living memory. It was founded in 1914 as an open- -air museum focusing on urban years and the modernity and words of John Williams-Davies, history and culture. Apart from mechanisation of that period. This the former director at St Fagan’s being a national museum of urban part of the museum focus on the in Wales, in 2009: “When open-air history, since 2011 the museum year 1927. A new section in an museums first emerged around 1900 has been specifically responsible extension of the museum shows the they were both radical and highly for the history of Aarhus, the town welfare state in Scandinavia, and relevant institutions: they focused where the museum is located. what life might have been like in on the daily lives of ordinary people With 571,167 visitors in 2017, the Denmark in 1974. Thus Den Gamle and their storytelling targeted the museum was the third most visited By is part of a trend among several ordinary people.”9 museum in Denmark, and one of open-air museums in Scandinavia, the major open-air museums in the United Kingdom and the In Den Gamle By we drew Europe. Benelux countries which have inspiration from this approach chosen to move forward in time when we planned the new 1974 Since 2007, the museum has also and add on sections or buildings town district. It was our ambition focused especially on showing the and interiors from the last part of to use ordinary everyday objects 20th century, and in particular the 20th century.8 and environments to tell everyday the 1970s, which is a period By showing a period which many stories about ordinary people in with elements that many of the people can relate to, either through ordinary homes, which would museum’s visitors can recognise. their own memories or through never be listed buildings or special The original part of Gamle By stories told by relatives, Den heritage settings. Up to 2019, seven shows the time before 1900. Today, Gamle By and the other museums buildings have been erected in that the museum includes a smaller that follow the trend seek to part of the museum, with eleven section showing the inter-war make the museum relevant and flats, a kindergarten and a number up to date in the same way as of shops and workshops: among on social learning includes among others: What is the open-air museums originally other things there is a minimarket, social learning? Ecology and Society [online]. 2010, vol. 15, no. 4 [accessed 2019-01-20]. Available were when they first opened at a gynaecologist’s clinic, a plumber’s from www:
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Altogether these buildings and In the museum’s harbour there are very important in relation to interiors tell a wider story about are reconstructions of the ships, the museums as a whole, their the Scandinavian welfare system which show what the originals once interiors, and the power of the and lifestyle changes in the 1970s, looked like. They are built in the statements which can be made in but at the same time they are full same way from the same materials, exhibitions and environments.13 of elements which bring back and can sail in the same seas as the memories, and thus can be used original ships. Depending on which An essential element in the 1974 as a setting where visitors can criteria are applied for authenticity, quarter in Den Gamle By is the talk about their own lives and both the ships in the museum and creation of credible exteriors and tell their own family histories. To those in the harbour can be called interiors. One way of doing it is have this effect, the settings must authentic. to focus not only on the material be recognizable, and this means authenticity (that the objects could that the environments must be In 1977, the United Nations have existed in 1974), but also to authentic. Educational, Scientific And Cultural focus on process authenticity (that Organization (UNESCO) drew up the buildings, furniture, wallpaper Authenticity Guidelines for the World Heritage and other items/elements are Committee.11 The document sets made through the right processes) Museums contain art pieces out how cultural monuments are and visual authenticity (making and craftsmanship, objects and to be assessed, and authenticity elements look real, for instance by stories that are closely linked is the most important criterion. using replicas of objects).14 to real life and the creation of In the original document there credibility through all these ways were four markers of authenticity: An example is the minimarket of presenting the past is vital for design, materials, workmanship in the 1974 quarter. In order to museums. Authenticity is all about and setting, but the guidelines are furnish it credibly, the choice credibility. Behind these concepts, continually updated, with focus was made to focus on visual authentic and credible, however, on the concept of authenticity.12 authenticity rather than material is a communication factor linked Authenticity and credibility can authenticity. The original to what is perceived as credible be perceived in different ways, packaging from everyday items and authentic. That means what depending on considerations of that could be collected had the recipients consider important materiality, function or the visual become discoloured, and the in understanding credibility and impression. These considerations objects appeared more or less authenticity. Authenticity can lie in 13 Frederik Stjernfelt puts the museological the object and the actual material, 11 Operational Guidelines For The World Heritage Committee 1977 (CC-77/CONF.001) [online]. conflicts in the concept into perspective in an but objects can lose their power of United Nations Educational, Scientific and article from 2009. The article is a revision of communication if they no longer Cultural Organization (UNESCO) [accessed a keynote speech given by professor Stjernfelt at 2019-01-20]. Available from www:
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worn and faded. It would not be credible or create the right mood and atmosphere to walk into a modern supermarket in 1974 and find products that did not look completely new. It was therefore necessary to recreate the packaging. In the chosen process, packaging such as milk cartons and packing of breakfast cereal were collected and scanned. The scans were then colour- -corrected, to restore the original appearance of the objects from the 1970s, and finally the scans were printed on materials like the Fig. 4: Course in the House of Memory in Den Gamle By. original packaging materials. It was a laborious process, but it was the best way to give the museum of visiting groups – both their the role of the lady who lives in the visitors the feeling of going into collective memories, if they had flat, and she apologises for being a supermarket in 1974. The visual any, and each person’s individual late with their coffee and cake. The authenticity is recognised by the memories. elderly visitors liven up and begin visitors, and reminds them of to register their surroundings, earlier visits to supermarkets, and In 2012, Den Gamle By opened the which they have often shut out: perhaps of situations earlier in their House of Memory, a flat specially here is a familiar smell, familiar own lives. furnished for sessions with furnishings and a situation they dementia patients. It is a three- know. The ladies help in the room flat with accessibility for kitchen, and the men find seats in wheelchair users, a functional the living room. Coffee and cake toilet and kitchen, two living are ready in the dining room, rooms, a hallway and a bedroom. and while household objects from As collaborating partners, memory the 1950s are passed round, the researchers from Aarhus University elderly guests focus and become and the Department of Health interested. After about two hours, and Care at Aarhus Municipality the session ends with singing, and assisted with their knowledge. as the guests leave the flat, it may The furnishings in the flat date be difficult to see which of them from the 1950s, which research suffer from dementia. Here in the has shown to be the period when past, they return to the present for the strongest memories were a couple of hours.16 formed by patients who suffer from dementia today, and thus there is The flat and the methods used a greater chance of evoking the in connection with it have also elderly people’s memories of this been used in recent years to train period.15 The programmes in the Fig. 3: Original packing of breakfast cereal and flat are attended by four to eight 16 The reminiscence programme in Den Gamle recreated packaging used in the minimarked from elderly people with helpers from By and the ideas behind these programmes 1974. are described in KRYGER, Birgitte, Henning a nursing home. They are usually LINDBERG and Tove Engelhardt MATHIASSEN. very silent and introverted when Erindringsformidling – brobygning mellem det Promoting reminiscence they arrive. An employee at Den sociale og det kulturelle. Den Gamle By [Årbog], 2005, pp. 68–73; RAVN, Thomas Bloch. Meget Gamle By welcomes them, playing mere end museum. Den Gamle By [Årbog], 2012, For some years, Den Gamle By has pp. 23–29; and LINDBERG, Henning. The House been working with elderly people 15 FROMHOLT, Pia et al. Life-narrative and word- of Memory. In HANSEN, Anna, Sofia KLING -cued autobiographical memories in centenarians: and Jakoba Sraml GONZALEZ (eds.). Creativity, with dementia. This activity has Comparisons with 80year-old control, depressed, Lifelong Learning and the Ageing Population. especially targeted the memories and dementia groups. Memory, 2003, vol. 11, Fornvårdaren. Vol. 34. Östersund: Jamtli Förlag, no. 1, p. 84. 2013, pp. 94–101.
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future employees in the care sector. ”The life-review: An interpretation of participants in this study had all Several training centres for health reminiscence in the aged” in 1963, been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s sector staff around Den Gamle By this reminiscence method has been disease, and in the study, both arrange visits as a mandatory part widely used in many institutions.18 at Den Gamle By and at the care of their training programmes. The A number of research reviews centre, the objects passed round course has two main objectives: conclude that this method has were the same type, representing a positive influence on the elderly situations from daily life and 1. To equip the students to people’s emotional state, and special occasions. The objects at help elderly people suffering results in improved function and the museum dated from the time from dementia to retrieve their well-being.19 when the participants were young, memories. while the objects at the care centre An important collaborator with were modern. There was an older 2. To give the students an insight Den Gamle By’s House of Memory model of a telephone as opposed to into what Denmark looked like project has been CON AMORE, a mobile phone, or old-fashioned from 1940 to 1960. That was the the Center on Autobiographical and modern cards commemorating period when the elderly people Memory Research at Aarhus confirmation in church. were young. How did Danes University. Apart from discussing live? What did they eat? What and exchanging ideas about The conclusion was that there was clothes did they wear? How did research into reminiscence and no great difference in recognition they amuse themselves? This is gerontology, the centre and the of the old and the new objects, especially important for students museum have also collaborated but the study showed clearly that who may have grown up in ethnic on research projects on the during sessions at Den Gamle cultures that are different from the significance of the museum By, more memories were evoked traditional Danish culture. space for the elderly people’s by the older objects, and the memory and well-being. One of depth and amount of detail in the The courses are structured so the projects was to investigate reminiscences was far greater. that the students experience for the difference between dementia themselves what happens when patients’ memories evoked during Another project carried out by memories are evoked, and they a visit to the House of Memory CON AMORE led to the conclusion learn methods that will enable in Den Gamle By, compared with that continued visits to the House them to promote reminiscence memories evoked in an everyday of Memory brought back more themselves. The students are shown environment at a care centre.20 The memories with greater detail.21 every day household objects they A group of elderly patients can remember, and in Den Gamle 18 BUTLER, R. N. The life review: an diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease interpretation of reminiscence in the aged. By they visit one of the flats from Psychiatry, 1963, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 65–76 and visited the House of Memory at 1974, in order to give them their LATHA, K. S. et al. Reminiscence Therapy: An Den Gamle By five times in the Overview. Middle East Journal of Age and Ageing, own experience of recognition and 2014, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 20. course of five weeks, and their remembering. They also visit the reminiscences were tested before 19 On the effect of the reminiscence method: House of Memory, where they meet Reminiscence therapy for dementia. Cochrane and after the visits. The findings an employee who tells them about Database of Systematic Reviews [online]. 2005, clearly showed a greater degree Issue 2, Art. No.: CD001120 [accessed 2019- the programmes in the flat for -01-20]. Available from www:
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Heritage in Adult Learning, in which Aarhus University also took part, the focus was more on well-being resulting from visits to the House of Memory than on memories.
Active Ageing and Heritage in Adult Learning
Active Ageing and Heritage in Adult Learning was organised with funding from the Erasmus+ programme from 2015 to 2017, and its main objectives were:
• to develop programmes for elderly people suffering from dementia;
• to develop programmes for relatives of dementia sufferers;
• to develop programmes for care staff who work with this group;
• to evaluate the type of programme for elderly dementia patients which Den Gamle By and several other open-air museums had started to organise. Fig. 5: Result of the quantitative data. The collaborating partners in the project, besides Den Gamle By, were the Jamtli museum in persons with dementia (PwD) were indicators are re-formulated to Sweden, the Beamish museum in observed, and 75 accompanying a questionnaire format that was the UK, the Szabadtéri Néptrajzi carers (AC) also took part in the suitable for use in this project. Muzeum in Hungary and study.23 An evaluation of how Maihaugen in Norway, as well as a cultural heritage environment Each domain was carefully the Linneaus University in Sweden, affected dementia sufferers has defined using the behavioural the University of Newcastle upon never before been carried out with indicators that were used in the Tyne in England and Aarhus such a large number of observed or original GCCWOT, enabling the University in Denmark.22 contributing individuals. accompanying carers (AC) a tool to assess the PwD participants’ The universities taking part in the The Greater Cincinnati Chapter experiences during a session. project have previously studied Well-Being Observation Tool Interest, for example, was links between cultural offers and (GCCWOT) was selected as the tool defined as Verbally“ or physically health, and their role in the project for the survey. GCCWOT registers indicates interest in others or own was to design the evaluation of indicators for domains of well- work; Engages with others without the effects of the programmes -being, such as interest, sustained prompting (e. g. by smiling, making and to be responsible for carrying attention, pleasure, self-esteem and eye contact, chatting, accepting/ out the evaluation. A total of 127 negative affect or sadness. These giving support, etc.).”24
24 Archive of Den Gamle By. Active Ageing 22 There is a description of the project, and it’s 23 Part 2: Evaluation of reminiscence activities. & Heritage in Adult Learning. Questionnaire A – results, in HANSEN, Anna (ed.). Reminiscence In HANSEN, Anna (ed.). Reminiscence in open air Accompanying Carers. A description of the study in open air museums. Results from the Erasmus+ museums. Results from the Erasmus+ project Active and the study method can be found in Part 2: project Active Ageing and Heritage in Adult Ageing and Heritage in Adult Learning. Östersund: Evaluation of reminiscence activities. In HANSEN, Learning. Östersund: Jamtli Förlag, 2017. Jamtli Förlag, 2017, p. 22. Anna (ed.). Reminiscence in open air museums.
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The results of the assessment better during visits to the museum Reminiscence is clearly present, but were striking: 90.6 % of PwD than their general condition. the interviews also show that in expressed / showed positive affect fact the elderly people reflect over all the time or most of the time. In addition, the ACs were asked all of the holistic social experience. 80.0 % of PwD could maintain in the survey to write down their This is summarised in the project sustained attention all the time or observations as free text. These report: ”The diversity of moments most of the time. 84.4 % of PwD were typical comments: and experiences that PwDs talked showed interest through contact to about also opens up the possibility others all the time or most of the “– A specific object can lead to that, for the participants, the act of time, and 82.9 % of PwD expressed reminiscence. E. g. a picture of reminiscing may not be of central self-esteem in words or in body a soldier. importance but may be one of several language all of the time or most of elements, each of which add value the time. – Seeing everyone engaging. to the embodied, social interactions – The smiles on the participants’ which these sessions foster.”28 In the study, the ACs were asked to faces. compare the PwDs’ state of mind The reminiscence sessions in during the visit with their normal – The chatter and the way everyone Den Gamle By and at the other state of mind. The ACs assessed was included. museums in the Active Ageing that for 60.2 % of the PwDs’ the and Heritage in Adult Learning positive emotional impact was – To hear how the participants project are powerful examples of greater than usual. With interest cheered up and talked about the old the impact which the museum’s the result was the same (greater days. cultural historical spaces can have than usual) for 66.0 %. For on visitors. It is rare for a group sustained attention the result was – An experience where one of our of visitors to be observed in such 47.4 % and for self-esteem 47.0 %.25 residents talked like never before.”26 detail as in this project, and it A factor that should be taken into contributes valuable data on what consideration in this part of the A part of the study were short, happens in the space comprised by study is that the ACs who filled in semi-structured interviews held the museum and a museum visit. the questionnaires were carers or with the PwDs, who were asked family members who play a part in how they felt about the session, The interviews with the elderly the dementia patients’ daily state of and what particularly they liked people show that reminiscence mind. This part of the study will, or did not like. The interviews occurs, which is also in line therefore, also be an assessment showed that, in spite of their with the studies carried out by of their own role as carers, which illness, the PwDs could certainly CON AMORE in collaboration may influence their answers. reflect on their experience. In with Den Gamle By. The study Unfortunately this cannot be several interviews they clearly shows, however, that it is not only investigated more closely with the expressed that the visit had brought reminiscence, but the whole of the material collected. On the whole, back memories, and that these experience and the social element however, the replies show that the memories had helped to support that are of great importance. The elderly people’s well-being was the person’s original identity, observations of the AC show clearly from before autobiographical that the elderly people are sociable memories, and thus identity had during the visit (82.9 %) and this Results from the Erasmus+ project Active Ageing and Heritage in Adult Learning, Östersund: Jamtli been weakened by disease. As one is confirmed by their comments: Förlag, 2017, pp. 17–37. The elements of GCCWOT of the participants at a session (e. g. ”Seeing everyone engaging” are described in RENTZ, Clarissa A. Memories in the Making©: Outcome-based evaluation of an art in Den Gamle By put it: “I’ m still and ”The chatter and the way program for individuals with dementing illnesses. really sorry now that my wife was everyone was included”). The social American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other not there that day. She thinks I’ m off interaction during the sessions Dementias, 2002, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 175–181; 27 KINNEY, Jennifer M. and Clarissa A. RENTZ. my head.” was also emphasized in the project Observed well-being among individuals with dementia: Memories in the Making©, an art 26 Cueing autobiographical memory retrieval for identity is discussed and analysed in the light program, versus other structured activity. in people with dementia. Do museum-based of the history didactic field historic consciousness American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other reminiscence sessions promote wellbeing in (Geschichtsbewusstsein) in DJUPDRÆT, Martin Dementias, 2005, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 220–227. people with dementia? Poster PO1.45 at The Brandt. Historiebevidsthed hos demente. 26th Alzheimer Europe Conference (26AEC). Kulturstudier, 2018, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 51–54. 25 The quantitative data from the study is Copenhagen 2016. presented in HANSEN, Anna (ed.). Reminiscence 28 Part 2: Evaluation of reminiscence activities. in open air museums. Results from the Erasmus+ 27 Archive of Den Gamle By. Active Ageing In HANSEN, Anna (ed.). Reminiscence in open air project Active Ageing and Heritage in Adult and Heritage in Adult Learning Interview at museums. Results from the Erasmus+ project Active Learning. Östersund: Jamtli Förlag, 2017, a reminiscence session held in Den Gamle By on 5 Ageing and Heritage in Adult Learning. Östersund: Appendix 1, pp. 75–79. April 2016. The significance of these programmes Jamtli Förlag, 2017, p. 33.
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Dierking described as personal contexts in the visitor’s museum experience are elements which the museum can influence deliberately. This influence can then strengthen the visitors’ social experience of the museum space.
The selected examples deal with periods in time which visitors have lived through themselves, but the method can undoubtedly be transferred to other topics dealt with by the museum. It is necessary to focus on stories and subjects which visitors can relate to, and Fig. 6: Interaction between the contexts in Falk and Dierking’s Interactive Experience Model. create a space and an ambience that makes individual visitors want to share their own experiences report in the summing up of the Through the psychical context (the with other visitors to the museum. interview with the PwD. exhibitions), the museum seeks When this happens, the museum deliberately to create recognition space and communications support Discussion and conclusions and evoke memories. These are both the visitors’ experience of not only personal memories, but their own history and experiences, The chosen examples show possible also elements with the nature of and the visit to the museum as connections between the museum collective memories – the visitors’ a social experience. Both can spaces, the visitors’ own personal shared memories of the period. In help to strengthen the visitor’s histories and approach to the visit this way, the psychical context can own identity and the learning and the social experience and help to steer the visitors’ common process which can take place when context which the museum also is. memory and reminiscences visitors share their knowledge and in a particular direction, thus experiences. In both the 1974 town district in providing subjects from their Den Gamle By and in the museum’s personal context which enable them 1950s House of Memory for PwD, to put into words and emphasise BIBLIOGRAPHY: conscious efforts have been made the elements in their shared to achieve visual and process experiences and understanding – Archive of Den Gamle By. Active Ageing authenticity which will evoke the social context. & Heritage in Adult Learning. memories, and can thus be used to Questionnaire A – Accompanying Carers influence and bring back memories To summarise: The atmosphere at (Unpublished material). from the visitors’ autobiographical the museum influences the social Archive of Den Gamle By. Active Ageing and memory. space. In the chosen case from Den Heritage in Adult Learning Interview Gamle By, the influence comes at a reminiscence session held in Den Using Falk and Dierking’s from creating an atmosphere and Gamle By on 5 April 2016 (Unpublished Interactive Experience Model and having objects which the guests material). its three concepts, the psychical can remember from their own lives, context, the personal context and which bring back memories, that BANDURA, Albert. Social learning theory. the social context, I will describe are shared and talked about in the Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, the interaction which can be social space. Through the choice 1971. ISBN 0-13-816751-6. instigated between the museum of object and furnishings in Den BUTLER, R. N. The life review: an space and the personal and social Gamle By, we can influence visitors interpretation of reminiscence in the spheres, through the exhibitions and their awareness, so that aged. Psychiatry, 1963, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. referred to, making considerable they think of particular personal 65–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.19 use in their presentation of visitors’ memories, which they talk about 63.11023339 own memories and common with others, creating a common Cueing autobiographical memory retrieval in memories. understanding. What Falk and people with dementia. Do museum-based reminiscence sessions promote wellbeing in
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people with dementia? Poster PO1.45 at FROMHOLT, Pia et al. Life-narrative and among individuals with dementia: The 26th Alzheimer Europe Conference word-cued autobiographical memories in Memories in the Making©, an art (26AEC). Copenhagen 2016. centenarians: Comparisons with 80year- program, versus other structured DEMPSEY, Laura et at. Reminiscence in -old control, depressed, and dementia activity. American Journal of Alzheimer’s dementia: A concept analysis. Dementia, groups. Memory, 2003, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. Disease and Other Dementias, 2005, 2014, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 176–192. ht t ps:// 81–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/741938171 vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 220–227. https://doi. doi.org/10.1177/1471301212456277 GURIAN, Elaine Heuman. Noodling Around org/10.1177/153331750502000406 Den nationale brugerundersøgelse for museer. with Exhibition Opportunities. In KARP, KOLB, David A. Experiential learning: Årsrapport 2017 [online]. København: Ivan and Steven D. LAVINE (eds.). experience as the source of learning and Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen, September Exhibiting cultures: the poetics and politics development. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: 2018 [accessed 2019-01-20]. Available of museum display. Washington, D. C.: Prentice-Hall, 1984. ISBN 0-13-295261-0. from www:
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RAVN, Thomas Bloch. The Modern Town Authenticities and Relevance: Report from MARTIN BRANDT DJUPDRÆT Project at Den Gamle By. Den Gamle By the 24th Conference in the Association of [Årbog], 2007, pp. 72–75. European Open Air Museums, Den Gamle Den Gamle By, Aarhus, Denmark RAVN, Thomas Bloch. Den Gamle By. By, Aarhus, Denmark 2009. Aarhus: Den [email protected] History and Future. Aarhus: Den Gamle Gamle By, 2011, pp. 40–59. By, 2009. ISBN 978-87-89328-45-5. ISBN 978-87-89328-59-1. Head of research and presentation RAVN, Thomas Bloch. Meget mere end SUBRAMANIAM, Ponnusamy and Bob at the open-air museum Den museum. Den Gamle By [Årbog], 2012, WOODS. The impact of individual Gamle By, Aarhus, Denmark since 2011. Master of Arts in History pp. 23–33. reminiscence therapy for people with and History of Religions. Studies RAVN, Thomas Bloch. Moderne tider på dementia: systematic review. Expert at University of Copenhagen and museum. In BAK, Lene et al (eds.). review of neurotherapeutics, 2012, vol. Charles University. Curator and Kildekunst: historiske & kulturhistoriske 12, no. 5, pp. 545–555. https://doi. organizer of several exhibition studier: festskrift til John T. Lauridsen. org/10.1586/ern.12.35 at Den Gamle By, Moesgaard København: Museum Tusculanum, 2016, The Nara Document on Authenticity [online]. Museum and The Viking Ship pp. 567–591. ISBN 978-87-635-4546-4. International Council on Monuments and Museum in Roskilde. Author to Reminiscence therapy for dementia. Sites (ICOMOS), 1994 [accessed 2019- article and books about museums Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 01-20]. Available from www:
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