New Dialogue Culture for the Museum der Kulturen Basel

BASEL, Switzerland, August 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

A Museum That Asks Questions

With its 'Culture-dialogue/dialogue-culture' project, the Museum der Kulturen Basel is introducing a new mediation format, whereby specially trained cultural mediators enter into dialogue with visitors.

- Cross reference: Picture is available via epa european pressphoto agency and can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.presseportal.ch/de/pm/100050324 -

In line with its ambition to provide a space for culture meetings, the museum is exploring new paths and introducing a new dialogue-culture format entitled 'Culture-dialogue/dialogue-culture'. Trained cultural mediators actively approach visitors at the exhibitions. They ask questions, provide answers and enter into culture dialogue with the visitors. Curator Dr Anna Schmid is convinced that this exchange with visitors is highly suitable for promoting lasting awareness about the profound cultural changes in our world and the ways in which this world is portrayed in a museum. Experimenting with this innovative information exchange is made possible thanks to support from the Stiftung Mercator Schweiz foundation.

Visitor dialogue

Discussions on ethnological and social issues help visitors to see the museum and its exhibitions from a new perspective. They are encouraged to reflect on and discuss their conceptions of culture. "As a result, they broaden their knowledge and further their understanding of their own culture and of other cultural backgrounds," explains Nadine Felix, Managing Director of Stiftung Mercator Schweiz. With this new dialogue culture, the museum and foundation are hoping for a rich exchange of ideas between visitors and the museum - a place of reflection and knowledge transfer. During the introductory phase of the new format, the cultural mediators will be available every Saturday and Sunday, as well as on Thursdays from 2 p.m.

Pierre-Alain Jeker, Public Relations
Museum der Kulturen Basel
Münsterplatz 20
CH-4001 Basel
Phone: +41-61-266-56-34
Fax: +41-61-266-56-05
E-Mail: pierre-alain.jeker@bs.ch