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Museums are political!

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How can cultural institutions and individuals take responsibility and actively strengthen an open, democratic society? Since spring 2024, the Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin has been addressing this question in the series “An Exercise in Defending Democracy”.

The recent guideline published by the German Museums Association, “Museen im politischen Raum: Spielräume kennen, Haltung zeigen” (“Museums in the political sphere: Knowing the scope, showing attitude”), has reignited the debate on responsibility and institutional (lack of) freedom beyond the museum world.

Together with our guests, we explored spheres of action, hope, and courageous museums on 19 September 2025.

Moderation:
Melanelle B. C. Hémêfa, Autorin & Spoken Word Artist, Dozentin, Kuratorin und Moderatorin, Beraterin, Strategin und Supervisorin

Guests:
Menekse Wenzler, Vice and Administrative Director, Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, Member of the Board German Museums Association

Dr. Ibou Diop, project lead, Citywide Memory Concept "Colonialism", Stadtmuseum Berlin Landesmuseum für Kultur und Geschichte Berlins, Head of Competence Centre for Decolonization

Deborah Hartmann, Director, Gedenk- und Bildungsstätte Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz

  • Event at the Bauhaus Archive with an audience, panel discussion, and a large screen in the background.
  • A group of people in a room listening attentively to a lecture or presentation.