2026_2029 Research Project: Resilience in Northern Museums. Building Knowledge through Photographs (RinMus)
Knuservannet ved grovknuseren i Bjørnevatn, sommeren 1937. SMU.F005226. GrenselandmuseetThe project takes as its point of departure northern museums’ photographic collections, acknowledging the social-material agency of the photographic medium, which from the late 19th century has had a central role in mapping and exploration practices and to convey ideas of the north. RinMus focuses on three overarching fields, each identified as having played a crucial role in the formation of the region and thoroughly documented through photography: science, industry and tourism. These topics remain particularly relevant today given the geopolitical interest in the region and
the circumpolar north.
The main objective of RinMus is to strengthen collaborative research in and with museums in Northern
Norway. From an outside perspective, the region has often been regarded as peripheral, however it
holds increasing significance in the context of politics, scientific research, and as destination for natural
and cultural exploration.
RinMus mwill explore the following overarching research questions to meet our objective:
1. How can museums in Northern Norway utilize photographic collections to build knowledge,
connect the past to present challenges, and conceive more sustainable futures?
2. How can collaborative methodologies of sharing and co-creation enable museums to activate
photographic collections’ potential as troves of knowledge, strengthening their role as institutions of
resilience in a region under pressure?
Members:
Financial/grant information:
UiT The Arctic University of Norway