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Short Abstract

SAMMEN FF is a national network of Norwegian cultural history museums dedicated to advancing citizen science through collaboration, participatory methodologies, and public engagement. This paper seeks to expand our discussions about the implementation of citizen science in cultural history museums.

Abstract

SAMMEN FF is a national network initiative for Norwegian cultural history museums focused on strengthening citizen science, collaborative practices and public engagement. Norwegian museums have a longstanding tradition of working closely with volunteers and local communities, and the network aims to raise awareness of such existing citizen science practices and foster self-reflexiveness, theoretical and methodological knowledge and innovation in participatory research.

Launched in 2024 by the Museum of Cultural History (University of Oslo), Østfoldmuseene, and Stiftelsen Norsk Folkemuseum, with funding from the Research Council of Norway, the SAMMEN FF network explores how museums with regional and national responsibilities can employ citizen science to foster local ownership to and relevance in museum knowledge production. Practical efforts to this end include collaborations with Saami organisations in Oslo, avocational metal detectorists, coastal heritage associations and participants in a national food memory collection.

In the years to come, we wish to expand the established platform for professional dialogue and development beyond national borders. The present paper aims to initiate such a discussion about how citizen science complements or challenges conventional research methodologies in cultural history museums and heritage institutions in the Norwegian context and beyond.