(Un)Learn Museum Architecture – A Critical Examination Of Museum Architecture Regarding The New Icom Definition* Of 2022

Although the architecture of museums often radiates dominance and power, the spatial aspect is frequently neglected in the current critical debate on museums. This contribution illustrates in different ways a critical look on museum architecture – regarding the latest museum definition of the International Council of Museum (ICOM) from 2022. The concept of (un)learning – discarding old structures or rethinking them – therefore takes a central position to develop transformative, spatial conditions for museum architecture. They are later applied to two museums from North-Rhine-Westfalia – the Museum Abteiberg and the Kunstmuseum Bochum. This work shows on the one hand the potential of spatial interventions in a process of change and on the other hand wants to encourage the reader to question the extent to which these spatial and institutional boundaries can be overcome. Keywords: museum architecture, (un)learn, ICOM museum definition, spatial interventions, institutional critique