MOI! Museums of Impact is an international cooperation project that aims to develop an assessment model for European museums, with a specific focus on measuring social impact.
Developed and implemented by a network of eleven partner organisations across Europe, MOI is backed by the European Union through the Creative Europe programme.
Museums are increasingly considered to have a key part to play within the cultural welfare system of our European cities. As well as researching “the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment,” to cite the most recent ICOM definition, museums are also at the “service of society and its development” and promote community engagement and participation on a daily basis.
How can we assess their results and efficacy?
Various measurement systems and good assessment practices have been trialled in Europe, which can now be shared and organised in order to provide European museums with a single reference framework that helps them meet the requirements of a constantly changing society.
Together with BAM!, a network of important partners on the European scene will work together to develop the new assessment model. They include the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (Germany’s biggest cultural foundation, which includes the National Museums of Berlin), the Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO), the Estonian National Museum and the European Museum Academy. The project is headed by the Finnish Heritage Agency.
Between 2020 and 2021, the partners will work together to build the new framework through a series of collaborative workshops and forums open to museum professionals from the various European states. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss and share ideas, while stakeholders will also be actively involved and asked for their feedback. The ultimate aim is to come up with a model that will go on to be tested by a number of museums selected through a public call for entries. The final version of the self-assessment system will be published in seven languages, accessible free of charge, accompanied by instructions for use and materials designed for its promotion and circulation.
BAM! Strategie Culturali has been called upon to contribute to the participatory development of the model thanks to its experience with Italian museum standards and the positive case histories involving museum institutions, organisations and Italian cultural enterprises. It will also take the project updates and developments to Italy and gather feedback.
We’re already working on organising the first MOI project event in Italy: a moment of sharing and engagement for Italian museum professionals planned for Monday 29 June 2020 in Bologna.
