Contemporary studies and Norwegian museums

In the 1960s and 70s Norwegian cultural history museums realised that collecting and documenting contemporary ways of life had to long been ignored. Critics said museums were out of touch and outdated. There was a growing awareness and longing for reorientation within the museum sector, and in the late 1990s a network for contemporary collecting and museum studies gradually emerged. 

Today 19 museums are members and many more are participating in conferences. We run seminars where participants present and get feedback
on their projects, increase research awareness, collaborate in research and sometimes lead research.  

The Network is part of the National Museum Reform in Norway. We work together with the Norwegian Archive, Library and Museum Authority in a project that aims at gaining a more coordinated approach to contemporary collecting.

The Network secretariat at Maihaugen museum has been given the national responsibility to disseminate knowledge, coordinate initiatives and develop
the Network together with the museums.

Major joint projects include Document 2000 (Dokument 2000) and In Search
of Lost Contemporary Time (På sporet av den tapte samtid).

In 1997 leading museums in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Norway created  Norsam – Nordic Network for Contemporary Collecting and Research in Museums. 

For further information, please e-mail:
The National Network for Contemporary Studies and Museum Collections