The National Museum of Finland brings a dialogue on the ownership and management of cultural heritage to museum and cultural professionals

The dialogue discussions for museum and cultural professionals form a dialogue tour organised in three locations by the film Máhccan (Homecoming, Vaski-filmi Oy, 2022), the Finnish National Museum and the Erätauko Foundation. By participating in the dialogue, you will have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the dialogue method and to discuss issues related to museum work raised by the film. Registration is now open!

Who is telling whose story matters enormously. Museums tell stories and throughout history they have played a major role in perpetuating stereotypes about minorities. In 2021, the National Museum of Finland returned more than 2,000 objects from its Sámi collection to the Sámi Museum Siida. In 2022, the museums were granted the Europa Nostra Award for Cultural Heritage for this repatriation. This internationally significant repatriation serves as the starting point for Suvi West and Anssi Kiem's Jussi Prize-winning documentary film, which expands on the meaning and ownership of cultural heritage, the connection to ancestors and forgiveness. 

The dialogue talks for museum professionals will take place: 

Thursday 19 September, 9:30-11:30, at Puistokatu 4, Helsinki 

Thursday 3 October, 13:00-15:00, at the Oulu Art Museum

Monday 18 November, 13:00-15:00, in Tampere at the Postal Museum's meeting place Kupla. 

We will send out detailed arrival and participation instructions to the participants well in advance of the debate. The discussions will be held in Finnish. Please contact us if you need an interpreter.

For more information: tapahtumat@kansallismuseo.fi

Welcome to the dialog!

Before the event, the participants will watch on their own the film Homecoming (duration 1 h 15 min) through a link provided after the registration. During the dialogue sessions, the themes of the film will be discussed together. The aim of the dialogue tour is to build on the viewing experience of Homecoming in order to stimulate discussion and a deeper understanding of the ownership of cultural heritage. After the tour, the Erätauko Foundation will offer the participants a training opportunity in the dialogue method at tue 14.1. 9-15 and tue 28.1. 9-12. 

The National Museum of Finland will develop its own dialogue method during the tour. The museum's aim is to develop and incorporate these dialogues as a permanent way of working with communities and increasing participation in the future. The new museum complex, consisting of the new part of the National Museum, the historic main building and the courtyard park, will open to the public in 2027.

Discussing in Confidence and Constructively  

The dialogues will be based on the 'Erätauko' method of discussion developed by Sitra, which gives participants the opportunity to be heard and to experience participation, by providing a space to express their own perspectives. The dialogue takes shape in the moment, there is no need to prepare anything in advance. The conversation is based on personal experiences. The discussions are confidential and follow the guidelines of constructive dialogue. The goal is not to find solutions or reach a consensus. 

Participation is free of charge and the event can accommodate up to 12 participants.