Worlds in a Museum

Triumphs and challenges in contemporary museology
Held on the occasion of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s first anniversary, the symposium Worlds in a Museum addressed the topic of museums in the era of globalisation, exploring contemporary museology and the preservation and presentation of culture within the context of changing societies. Departing from the historical museum structure inherited from the Enlightenment, leading experts from art, cultural, and academic institutions explore present-day achievements and challenges in the study, display and interpretation of art, history, and artefacts. How are “global” and “local” objects and narratives balanced – particularly in consideration of diverse audiences? How do we foster perspective and multiculturalism while addressing politicised notions of centre and periphery? As they abandon classical canons and categories, how are museums and cultural entities redefining themselves beyond predefined concepts of geography and history?

This collection of essays arises from the symposium Worlds in a Museum organised by Louvre Abu Dhabi and École du Louvre.

Contributors: H.E. Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa (Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities), Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak (Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi), Guilhem André (Louvre Abu Dhabi), Claire Barbillon (École du Louvre), Nathalie Bondil (Montreal Museum of Fine Arts), James Cuno (J. Paul Getty Trust), Noëmi Daucé (Louvre Abu Dhabi), Hartwig Fischer (British Museum), Cecilia Hurley (Neuchâtel University / École du Louvre), Rose-Marie Herda Mousseaux (Louvre Abu Dhabi), Hervé Inglebert (Paris-Nanterre University), Henry Kim (Aga Khan Museum), Anne-Marie Maïla-Afeiche (The National Museum of Beirut), François-René Martin (Ecole du Louvre / Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris), Jean-Luc Martinez (Louvre Museum), Sophie Mouquin (University of Lille / École du Louvre), Souraya Noujaim (Louvre Abu Dhabi), Martin Pitts (University of Exeter), Manuel Rabaté (Louvre Abu Dhabi), Sylvie Ramond (Museums of Fine Arts and Contemporary Arts Lyon), Kennie Ting (Asian Civilisations Museum)

"Worlds in a Museum" was edited by Louvre Abu Dhabi and École du Louvre.

New Identities of Museums in a Globalised World Foreword by Manuel Rabaté
“It Always Seems Impossible Until It Is Done” Foreword by Mohamed Al Mubarak
A Universal Curriculum: École du Louvre and the Global Classroom Introduction by Claire Barbillon
A World in Dialogue: Introducing Louvre Abu Dhabi Introduction by Souraya Noujaim
PART 1Museums and Globalisation
Introduction: L’Imagination au Pouvoir! Challenges and Perspectives for Universal Museums in the Twenty-First Century Noëmi Daucé
Global History and the Art Museum James Cuno
Dialogue Among Cultures: A Challenge for Museums of the Future Hartwig Fischer
Unity in Diversity: One Louvre Among the Three Louvres in the Twenty-First Century Jean-Luc Martinez
PART 2Globalisation and Societies
Introduction: Universality, Globalisation, and Museums: Narratives of Material Cultures Rose-Marie Mousseaux
Preserving Pasts, Investing in Futures: The Developing Landscape of Bahrain’s Museums H.E. Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa
Premodern Globalisations: Cultural Connectivity and Objects-in-Motion in Ancient Worlds Martin Pitts
Universal History, Global History, and Universal Museums Hervé Inglebert
PART 3Global/Local Tensions
Introduction: Local and Global: A Complex Field of Tension Guilhem André
Connecting Canons: Critiques of the Western Canon in Recent Art Historiography Cecilia Hurley
Universal Museum, Global Museum: The Example of Lyon Sylvie Ramond
Which Worlds Belong in a Museum? A Manifesto for a Humanist Museum Nathalie Bondil
PART 4Centre and Periphery Introduction: Centre and Periphery or Circulation and Dialogue? Sophie Mouquin
Centering Nationhood: Centrality and Peripherality in the Museal Culture of Contemporary Lebanon Anne-Marie Maïla-Afeiche
Interstitial Identities: Reimagining the Asian Civilisations Museum Kennie Ting
Curating across Cultures: Globalising Dynamics in Contemporary Museal Practice Henry Kim
Conclusion: Navigating Universality in the Museums of the Twenty-First Century François-René Martin
Abstracts (Arabic) Abstracts (French)
About the Authors About the Authors (Arabic) About the Authors (French)
Gallery with Colour Plates

The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for "Worlds in a Museum" is 10.11116/9789461663320.