Forvaltning, fortolkning og forhandling af autenticitet i et husmuseum

From 2019-2021 The Art Museums of Skagen conducted a reestablishment of the bedrooms in the historic house museum Anchers Hus. Challenges regarding lack of historical documentation and original artefacts led the museum staff to discuss the different notions of authenticity. In this article, a review of the concept of authenticity with regards to historic house museums, led to a categorization based on rationalities, held by conservators, curators, and museum visitors respectively. This categorization revealed several diverging understandings of authenticity. The analysis shows how the museum staff managed and negotiated these contested notions of authenticity and exemplifies how a theoretical understanding can help strengthen curatorial praxis.