Mobile Museum of capitalism Erasmus Project

Project Title

Mobile Museum of capitalism

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

We observe a lack of understanding of the current economic and societal structures that influence our production and consuming behaviour. As a result, people tend to act ignorant without understanding or realizing the impacts of their daily decisions. We advocate the need of a systemic approach to make sure that people are able to decide by themselves which actions are opportune to undertake, personally and globally, in order to shape a society in balance with the environment, as well as with their needs and believes. At the core of our reflection, we put the notion of capitalism, the constant need of profit through private property. We define this tendency as being often at the root of the adverse effects on our general well-being and on the environment. The following issues, amongst others, are addressed: the notion of eternal growth, the disconnection of our financial system with the natural resources, the offshoring of production and the unequal relations in the production chain.

For years both our organisation have sensitised and created the debate around this topic. Being new in the field we had to create our proper didactic method for making this heavy topic discussable. Coincidently this both rsulted in an exhibition we called the ‘Museum of Capitalism’. We came in to contact and were both fascinated by the other viewpoint or interpretation on the topic. This resulted in multiple encounters. After some years of having an exhibition we experienced the same difficulties. Our audience where often already biased by their environment or their teachers who brought them to the museum. Also we weren’t able to respond to all the demands we got to expose the museums because of practical barriers.

We did not have to reinvent the wheel, we just had to use it. The common solution was the creation of a Mobile Museum. An exposition that could go to schools, cultural centers and other public places to stimulate the debate about our society and its economic model.

The idea here is to put capitalism into perspective in relation to our history as to present society. Above all, the project aims to facilitate the reflection about our economical system strengths and weaknesses and to strengthen the critical thinking of people. Our expositions are build in such a way that we invite the visitor to think for himself and not to propagate the absolute truth. By implicating the visitors we empower them, especially young people, to actively participate in democratic decision-making processes and to get active for an open and tolerant society.

Throughout Europe we see that there are a lot of similarities between young people, but we also see a lot of differences. This projects will make it able to share ideas and opinions, arguing and debating, and most of all empower young people on a transnational level.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 34482,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

Musée du capitalisme & Country: BE

Project Partners

• Verein für Bildung und Partizipation e.V.