On Thursday 6 May, the ACCR was delighted to take part in the symposium ‘Bringing monuments to life, considering the experiences of visitors’, co-organised by the Centre des monuments nationaux and the GIS études touristiques in partnership with ESTHUA-INNTO and UCO at the Hôtel de la Marine (Paris).
Researchers and field workers questioned the experiences of people who visit, animate or study heritage sites. Among other things, they discussed the relationships between mediators and visitors, between heritage sites and everyday uses of places, and between the multiple approaches and concepts of guiding. The very notion of a monument was also questioned by several speakers: what does a historical monument mean in a contemporary context? How is it perceived?
/ A living heritage
Beyond the performative dimension of monuments, the question of a living, evolving heritage that values know-how and ways of life was illustrated by Pascale Marcotte's example of visits to electricity production sites in Quebec.
In view of new technical advances that are rendering certain sources and/or objects necessary for electricity production obsolete or secondary, this example invited participants to broaden their perspective and question what we consider to be heritage. For example, chimneys have gone from being functional to decorative objects to be admired as works of craftsmanship, and the mining basin in northern France has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a ‘living, evolving cultural landscape’. Having fallen into technical disuse, these sites and objects are becoming increasingly exceptional.
Beyond their materiality, it is important to consider the intangible values they convey: they bear witness to societal transitions, changes in lifestyles, and technical and scientific developments. They thus carry the memory of workers and their specific skills.
In the case of visits to Quebec's electricity production sites, these are led by field agents who share their experience and knowledge. This echoes a value dear to the ACCR network, which stems from the Faro Convention: ‘The Faro Convention encourages us to recognise that the importance of heritage lies not so much in objects and places as in the meanings and uses that people attach to them and the values they represent.’
/ Mediation and relations with people
Discussions also focused on the role of mediators and the relationships they maintain with visitors and with the monuments. From this triad emerges the pleasure of being together in the same place, forming a temporary community that shares the same memory.
As an act of sharing rather than a technical skill, mediators strive to re-enchant shared words, to adapt to people's desires and needs, and to provide access to unexpected dimensions, thereby revealing what is meaningful to each individual. Mediation should be understood from the perspective of reciprocity and the equal dignity of knowledge: everyone has as much to learn from and to teach others.
Bastien Ruaux's presentation also provided an opportunity to showcase the work of greeters (volunteers who offer free guided tours to tourists), which can be considered complementary to other forms of visits and mediation. This presentation raised questions about the coexistence of different users within the same space.
With this same idea of equal dignity in mind, participants had the opportunity to address issues related to the concept of inclusion, which, beyond good intentions, requires a comprehensive rethinking of practices. This collective reflection aimed to deconstruct stereotypes and potential biases by addressing them broadly: physical, geographical, symbolic, budgetary, conflicting narratives, etc.