Participatory approaches to knowledge-making and exhibition design were the focus of a Democracy Week event convened by the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy, in partnership with the Museum of Ethnography of Geneva (MEG), on 7 October 2026. Participants were welcomed at MEG for a special guided tour of the temporary exhibit “The Future, what’s that?” (in French: “Le futur, c’est quoi?”), co-created by schoolchildren. They discovered the different stages of the co-creation process, from initial concept to final design, and interacted with exhibition co-curator Damien Kunik. 

The tour provided rich additional context on the process behind the scenes, how pieces from the archives were picked, and the meaning of the setup and design of the overall exhibit areas. The entire exhibit was thoroughly thought through with the perspectives of accessibility, interactivity, and learning through active entertainment.

The visit was introduced by Christine Lutringer, executive director at the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy, as part of the activities offered during Geneva Democracy Week. After that, for almost two hours, Damien Kunik, curator and conservator at the museum, guided the group, alongside Nataliya Tchermalykh, Research Professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, and members of the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy. The participants were led through a series of exhibit areas, where children hand-picked pieces from the MEG’s archives and were consulted in the construction of the dedicated museum area. 

The discussion at the end of the tour allowed students and other visitors to ask questions on the participatory approaches, how knowledge about the future is (co-)created and disseminated, and how cultural and age differences shape the perceptions of temporal reality. 

To explore the exhibit at the MEG (ongoing until January 10th, 2027), please visit their website.