Knowledge is being created. And it is created by people in specific contexts of time, space and society. Countless conditions – often also coincidences – contribute to the creation of knowledge. Depending on where, by whom and with what intentions knowledge is sought, it may be created in a specific form, may be subject to changes, may be expanded or it may be lost. Forum Wissen, the knowledge museum of the University of Göttingen, focuses on the process of knowledge creation.
Dr Joachim Baur (die Exponauten, Berlin) was engaged as external curator for the core exhibition. The exhibition was designed and realised by Atelier Brückner, Stuttgart.
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 help to facilitate social exchange and create spaces in which people with different perspectives can learn from one another. By these means we play an active role in science communication.
Our Mission
In our museum, science and the humanities are made easier to understand through a variety of playful, sensory and experimental means. We strive to show the relevance of science and the humanities to society. Our goal is to provide access to both existing and emerging knowledge, and to reflect upon and make transparent processes of knowledge creation. Through our exhibitions, events and projects, visitors stand to gain valuable insights into current issues and methods in and around knowledge production, and are themselves invited to take an active role in its creation. We seek to create opportunities for dialogue, discussion, feedback, experimentation and insight, and want to get people excited about science, while inspiring them to think about and act upon topics and objects that link the past, present and future.
What Makes us Unique?
The Museum of Knowledge in the Forum Wissen is the first museum in Germany to focus on the process of knowledge creation and to create opportunities for the general public to influence research in science and the humanities. As the official museum of the University of Göttingen, we are directly involved in current research projects from a variety of academic disciplines, and, together with the many institutions that make up the Göttingen campus, form part of an international network. 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 us Stand Out?
We work in a collaborative and interdisciplinary manner with partners from various backgrounds. By these means, we actively seek out diverse perspectives and apply them to our work. Our goal is to create understanding and trust by bringing people together. Inclusion is especially important to us and we strive to break down social barriers, to fight against all forms of discrimination and to find a sustainable approach to resources.
We are not afraid to take risks, to encounter the unknown, to test out new things, to fail and to learn from our mistakes. We approach things with an open mind and allow room for change, new ideas and insights. We ask questions, seek answers and consequently contribute to research ourselves. We are a dynamic institution that critically questions its own programme, actively seeks feedback, and responds accordingly. Our institution is open to all and is 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.