Our Vision
The Museum of Knowledge in the Forum Wissen at the University of Göttingen is a Third Place in which knowledge is conveyed, reflected upon, discussed and created. We foster dialogue on issues that matter to society and create spaces where people with different perspectives can learn from one another. In doing so, we contribute to science communication.
Our Mission
At our museum, science is made accessible through engaging, playful, hands-on, and experimental experiences. At the heart of everything we do is an exploration of the role and relevance of science and the humanities in society.
Our mission is to create opportunities for people to engage with both established and emerging knowledge, while making the processes through which knowledge is created visible, transparent, and open to reflection. Through our exhibitions, events, and projects, visitors gain insights into current research questions, ongoing processes, and the methods of knowledge creation, while also having opportunities to participate actively.
We create spaces for dialogue, discussion, feedback, experimentation, and discovery. Our aim is to inspire curiosity about science and encourage people to reflect and take action through topics and objects that connect the past and present with the future.
What Makes us Unique?
The Knowledge Museum at Forum Wissen is the first museum in Germany dedicated to exploring how knowledge is created, while also providing opportunities for public perspectives and feedback to inform ongoing research.
As the museum of the University of Göttingen, we are in close dialogue with current research projects across a wide range of disciplines. Together with the institutions of the Göttingen Campus, we are part of an international network of research and knowledge exchange.
In our exhibitions, we make the unique objects that belong to the approximately 40 decentralised collections of the University accessible to the general public. These are worthy of preservation, as they testify to 300 years of academic research history.
What Makes Our Museum Special?
We work collaboratively and across disciplines with partners from a wide range of fields. By doing so, we actively seek out diverse perspectives and incorporate them into our work. We bring people together to break down barriers, foster mutual understanding, and build trust. We are committed to reducing social barriers and promoting inclusion, anti-discrimination, and the responsible use of resources.
We are willing to take risks, embrace the unfamiliar, try new approaches, fail, and learn from the experience. We work with an open mind, allowing space and flexibility for change, new ideas, and new insights. We ask questions, gather responses, and in doing so contribute to research ourselves.
We are a dynamic museum that continually reflects on and critically reviews its own programme, actively seeks feedback, and responds to what we learn. Our museum is open to everyone and free of charge.
Forum Wissen is Growing…
Over the next few years, the Biodiversity Museum and the Thomas Oppermann Cultural Forum will be moving in under the same roof. In future, visitors will be able to enter into debates about the diversity of life on the first floor. In the North wing, the Cultural Forum will provide a stage for exchange between science, culture and the public as well as for concerts and readings.