The Joint Declaration of TheMuseumsLab Partner Museums Network

Celebrating Five Years of Transcontinental Exchange

In June 2025, museum representatives, fellows, alumni, and cultural visionaries gathered in Berlin to commemorate five impactful years of TheMuseumsLab. This pioneering initiative—launched in 2021 by Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, the DAAD, TheAdvisors, HTW Berlin, and supported by BKM and the German Federal Foreign Office—has steadily built bridges between museums, cultural institutions, and professionals from Europe and Africa

To mark the anniversary, participants from Cape Town, Addis Ababa, Lagos, Kampala, Lisbon, Manchester, Stockholm, Vienna, and beyond convened in Berlin. Their mission? To reflect on shared achievements and chart the road ahead for collaborative museum engagement

The Declaration: Museums as Spaces of Joint-Learning, Critique, and Connection

The defining moment came with the adoption of a joint declaration, authored collectively by museums, fellows, and alumni. Its message was clear and resolute: museums must transcend their conventional roles to become inclusive spaces that foster curiosity, critical reflection, the tapestry of shared humanity, and intercontinental connection

This declaration underscores the initiative’s continued commitment to mutual learning, confronting the legacy of colonialism, embracing AI-driven innovations, and strengthening museums’ roles as critical cultural agents

What This Means for the Future of Museums

This declaration is more than symbolic. It signals a renewed, reciprocal commitment to:

• Mutual accountability in shaping narratives of cultural heritage.
• Professional excellence built on ethical frameworks of dialogue, restitution, and inclusivity.
• Institutional transformation that embraces a shared, transcontinental museum identity.
• Future-oriented support, grounded in policy, funding, and public awareness.

Looking Ahead

With over 50 partner museums, 250+ speakers, and more than 200 alumni spanning Africa and Europe, TheMuseumsLab stands as a powerful testament to what shared vision and collaboration can accomplish. As the network advances, equipped with a strong declaration and evolving institutional frameworks, the landscape of museum culture stands on the brink of profound, inclusive transformation.