Annual Meeting of the Fachgruppe Naturwissenschaftliche Museen in Luxembourg

From 24 to 26 September, Luxembourg hosted the annual meeting of the Fachgruppe Naturwissenschaftliche Museen of the Deutscher Museumsbund. The Naturmusée was honoured to organise this year’s edition in collaboration with neimënster and to welcome colleagues from natural history museums and scientific collections from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The conference was officially opened by Eric Thill, Minister for Culture, and Roland Seeger, Cultural Adviser at the German Embassy in Luxembourg. Their presence highlighted the importance of exchange and cross-border cooperation within the museum community.

Over the course of the three-day meeting, participants addressed a range of current issues relating to scientific and natural history collections. How can collections be established and developed today and in the future? What role do cross-border research, new conservation strategies and sustainable storage concepts play? And how can we ensure the long-term accessibility and use of collections in the digital age?

Digitisation and the networking of collections also featured prominently in the programme. Topics such as DiSSCo – the European research infrastructure dedicated to natural science collections –, 3D modelling and museomics offered insights into new opportunities for research and the valorisation of collections.

The provenance of natural science collections was another major focus of the discussions. Topics included the colonial history of collections, the issue of human remains, as well as collaboration with partner institutions and communities in Africa and the Pacific region.

Beyond the lectures and discussions, the meeting also provided valuable opportunities for professional exchange. Visits to the Naturmusée gave participants the chance to discover our collections first-hand and learn more about various aspects of the work carried out at the museum.

The programme continued with several excursions, including visits to the Kirchberg Arboretum, the Dinosaurierpark Teufelsschlucht and the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall, as well as a guided tour of Luxembourg City organised especially for the group in collaboration with the Luxembourg City Tourist Office – LCTO.

The Herbsttagung was a valuable opportunity to share experiences, discuss the challenges currently facing natural history museums and strengthen exchanges and collaborations across borders.

A heartfelt thank you to all speakers, participants and partners who contributed to the success of the meeting and helped make Luxembourg, for three days, a meeting place for the natural history museum community.