Collective creativity in the art museum

“Collective Creativity in the Art Museum” examines different types of collaborative design processes taking place at the Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK), Denmark. Discussing the theoretical backgrounds in 1970s participatory design and user-centred product design, the chapter argues that museums have not only moved from being about something to being for someone – they are now also by someone. The participatory and user-centred focus is analysed across SMK, showing the potential, but also the challenges, of collective creativity.
Discussing the theoretical backgrounds in 1970s participatory design and user-centred product design, this chapter argues that museums have not only moved from being about something to being for someone – they are now also by someone. The chapter explores how Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK), the National Gallery of Denmark, is experimenting 'collective creativity', inviting users and other external stakeholders to be design partners in different projects. It overviews user-centred and participatory design and its use in relation to museums, followed by an overview of the different ways in which SMK works with this new agenda, forging novel repertoires. The chapter analyses the process of creating 'MatchSMK', a family board game situated in one of the permanent galleries at SMK, serves as a case study, demonstrating how museum design processes can shape the future of the museum through situational, context-orientated, user-centred collaboration.