DIM 2025: The future of museums told by those who are still discovering them
This May 18th, International Museum Day arrives with a necessary question: What will museums be like in a world that never stops changing?
This year’s call, led by ICOM under the theme “The Future of Museums in Thriving Communities”, invites us to rethink the museum not as a static building, but as an open possibility.
And if we're talking about the future — why not ask those who will inhabit it?
- Imaginations under construction
- Museums that Move with the community
- An open invitation to imagine the future of museums
Imaginations under construction
For this small campaign, we reached out to two children: Mía (8 years old) and Luciano (12 years old). We proposed a simple game: imagine the museum of the future.
Between laughter and drawings, ideas emerged—honest, surprising, and full of insight. Because if children are good at something, it’s getting straight to the point:
Who gets to enter? Can you touch things? Are you allowed to participate? Where do we draw the line between viewer and creator?
Mía and Lucho shared a few ideas about the future:
“In my museum there’s paper to draw, shapes to build with, and you can sew. You can leave what you make or take it home… but only one thing.”
Shared by Mía, a passionate fan of addition and subtraction.
“I think you can go to the museum from the age of 3. It’ll be a very elegant building made of marble. You’ll be able to interact with robots… and also eat there!”
Explained by Luciano, a lover of PE class and futuristic design.
Museums that Move with the community
Both children agreed on something fundamental: the museums of the future must be more accessible — and above all, interactive and participatory. Places where you can do, not just look. Where you can leave a mark, not just walk through silent halls.
Their ideas go beyond robots and screens (though those are part of it too); they envision living, shared spaces in tune with the community. In their museums, people of all ages are welcome, and participation is not a privilege but a given. The collections are constantly renewed because every visitor can contribute their own creation.
“The drawings in the museum are made by the people who come. And every day, there are more. The museum changes all the time.”
Mía, creator of the fictional Artistic Museum.
“I like museums with interactive things: buttons, machines, robots… But I also like it when the museum is close to the city.”
Luciano, designer of the Technological Museum of the Year 2135.
An open invitation to imagine the future of museums
Este ejercicio de imaginar el futuro desde la mirada de la infancia ha sido un gesto sencillo, pero revelador. A menudo, las instituciones culturales, como los museos, buscan conectar con nuevas audiencias sin detenerse a preguntar directamente a quienes no suelen tener voz en su diseño o programación.
Preguntar a niños y niñas no sólo activa la imaginación, sino que funciona como pretexto para ensayar formatos de escucha más inclusivos y colectivos. No se trata de tomar sus ideas al pie de la letra, sino de reconocer que el futuro cultural se construye también con aquellas personas a las que rara vez se consulta.
Como señala ICOM, vivimos en un mundo en constante transformación: migraciones, nuevos modelos de familia, crisis climática, brechas digitales, cambios demográficos… En este contexto, los museos pueden ser espacios clave de encuentro, cuidado y pertenencia. Pero para que eso ocurra, deben abrirse a nuevas preguntas, nuevas miradas y nuevas formas de participación.
No es solo imaginar el futuro, sino ensayar desde ahora cómo queremos construirlo.
Este artículo forma parte de una campaña con motivo del Día Internacional de los Museos 2025. Puedes ver el resto de publicaciones en nuestro perfil de Instagram: dibujos, vídeos y una mirada al futuro contada desde las voces de los más pequeños.
