Museums as public spaces in the City: Insights from Aarhus, Denmark

The paper investigates the role of museums as public spaces in the city. By bridging literature in urban planning and museum studies, we examine the physical spaces museums create and how the public interacts within these spaces. Our analysis centers on ARoS, an art museum, and Den Gamle By, an open-air history museum, in Aarhus, Denmark. Using Kurt Iveson's (2007) twofold description of public space—topographic and procedural—we use a combination of site visits, archival documents, and websites to analyze the impact of these museums on urban design and their engagement with the public. This research illustrates how museums function not only as landmarks but also as sites imbued with civic and cultural values, as well as fluid spaces that extend their impact beyond their walls. Moreover, this paper highlights how museums' influence in the city transcends their physical presence. It emphasizes their role in facilitating debates and informal learning, while fostering social interactions, and inclusion within their spaces. These findings are relevant for city officials and museum managers who could embrace museums' role as public spaces in their dual function—enhancing the cityscape and fostering community building—and make them integral partners in urban development. • Museums act as public forums, fostering dialogue and interaction between visitors and local communities in inclusive public spaces • Museums, from a topographical view, are landmarks and cultural sites, shaping the city's fabric through their values and spaces beyond walls. • Museums, from a procedural perspective, create spaces for debate, informal learning, interaction, and fostering inclusion. • City officials and museum managers could embrace museums’ role as public spaces and make them integral partners in urban development.