Over the last few decades the role of museums has widened: we find museums without collections, museums with open archives, museums of 'experience', online museums without visitors and museums with millions of visitors. Due to this rapid evolution, we can often forget how much these new 'hybrid' museums have distanced themselves from the inhospitable, inaccessible, sacred, temple-like spaces that were the mid 20^th century, with their colonnades facades, the pediments and the empty rooms. At this crossroad between 'virtue' and 'evil’' and faced with choices that did not exist 20 years ago. Each museum today seeks to connect with learning,education and contemporary artistic creation, by changing their genetic 'code'. This lecture will focus through selected examples from the long and groundbreaking journey of the Museum Benaki, emphasizing particularly on the challenges and opportunities that have arisen over the last few years. 

Speaker: George Magginis, Scientific Director, The Benaki Museum

8 May 2019, 19.30