Fifteenth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Museums often take the culture of a large, urban population and minimize it down to several floors of concentrated artifacts. This traditional idea of museum can be expanded upon when considering the complex dynamic of the evolutions of cities and its consistent population. The Museumpark is the intersection between places of cultural celebration and safe, public gathering spaces in a city. Museumparks can manifest themselves in several ways, but are most commonly seen in the forms of Sculpture Gardens, Greenhouses and Botanical Gardens, Adaptive Reuse Greenspaces, and Historic Sites. Each of these spaces distinctly celebrate a different facet of culture in a community, and help uplift through either history, art, or spectacle. Museumparks can help support struggling communities by recognizing and celebrating their forgotten culture. Rust Belt Cities were once booming cities because of their industrial empires, but in the 21st century have often fallen into disrepair due to collapsed economies and a fast drop of population. The rich history and subsequent struggle of these cities makes them ideal locations for the implementation of a Museumpark. A Museumpark applied to a Rust Belt City would take occupants through a narrative of history and ruins, exposing the abandonment of these cities through a walkthrough of building ruins, art, and adaptive reuse spaces living on the site. The city’s narrative will be further pushed through designed landscaping that segregates the different areas of the Museumpark, leading to unique journeys and experiences each visit.