Cultural Landscapes in Museums: Questions Concerning a Sustainable Handling of Nature and Cultural Heritage

An Ecomuseum is a dynamic way in which communities preserve, interpret, and manage their heritage for a sustainable development. An Ecomuseum is based on a community agreement.” (Declaration of Intent of the Long Net Workshop, Trento (Italy), May 2004). Ecomuseums can be found in many European countries as well as in Canada, Australia and Brazil. An Ecomuseum offers the chance for rural areas to undertake discussions about culture landscape, its history, and the associated cultural heritage. This is an important basis for a sustainable use of the natural and cultural environment. Its main focus is on the history of the society and everyday life. Especially in the countries of the European Union, the discussion about the uniqueness of regions has experienced a boom (“Heimatkonjunktur”). Ecomuseums can be seen as an important way of recognizing the uniqueness of regional and local identity. This paper discusses the Spessart-Region, a wooded country between Frankfurt and Würzburg, on the border between Hessia and Bavaria as an example of a local initiative for an Ecomuseum. An example at he regional level is also explored, as the Bavarian Government spent a huge sum of tax-money (nearly 200 million Euros) for two new museums for the 19^th and 20^th century history of the former Kingdom and now State of Bavaria in Regensburg, and for the History of Franconia (from the 7^th century till the present) in Würzburg. The author and presenter is co-responsible for the museum concept for the latter museum.