Confronting stereotypes, racism and xenophobia in Oslo Museum – Intercultural Museum (IKM)

Abstract

Museums play an important role in society as repositories of culture history and knowledge, and also as meeting places for visitors. Oslo Museum – Intercultural Museum (IKM) is a municipal museum located in the Norwegian capital Oslo, in a diverse neighbourhood including a high concentration of immigrants. With its many exhibitions and local activities, IKM is a contact zone for the local community, the capital’s inhabitants and numerous schools. The exhibition “It’s just like them …” with the installation Anatomy of Prejudice encourages visitors to reflect on prejudices, to express and co-create them using their smart phones, and to exhibit them. In 2017, IKM and Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) started exploring how IKM can strengthen its digital presence and reach out to a wider audience. The article first outlines and theorizes the mission and activity of IKM. Then the exhibition “It’s just like them…” and the installation Anatomy of Prejudice are analyzed. Finally, IKM’s external communication strategy and media management are addressed.