“Engaged Museums, Participatory Publics”: An International Doctoral Seminar and Four-Year Research Programme

This paper outlines the theoretical and methodological foundations of the four-year doctoral and research programme “Engaged Museums, Participatory Publics”, jointly led by the École du Louvre, the Université du Québec à Montréal, and Sapienza Università di Roma. Drawing on insights from visitor studies, the programme explores how museums are being reshaped in their relationship with society: the redefinition of cultural policies, the transformation of mediation practices, and the emergence of co-constructive approaches. Emphasis is placed on participatory practices that challenge institutional roles and reposition visitors as active agents within a broader deliberative and critical framework. The concept of the “conversational museum” is used to rethink museums as spaces for dialogue, recognition, and social transformation, situated at the core of contemporary democratic concerns. The seminar provides a transdisciplinary forum for critical engagement among researchers, museum professionals, and publics.