MMTP at IMCC

20.11.2025

How do you play when touching is not allowed? How do we encourage adults to play when children are not part of the equation? How does play become a natural part of a museum visit and not a disintegrated add on?

These are just three of the nearly 100 thought-provoking questions about play in museums that we collected during our participation in the International Museum Construction Congress in November 2025.

Strong interest in play
Anne Rørbæk Olesen and Nanna Holdgaard presented the MMTP program’s approach, vision, and preliminary results. Both during and after the presentation, it was clear that conference participants showed strong interest in the program and in playful strategies overall.

As part of the presentation, attendees were invited to submit questions about play in museums – questions they would like answered. This resulted in almost 100 contributions, covering topics such as how to engage different types of visitors in playful experiences, how play can be integrated into museum practice, and what the purpose of play in museums really is. The questions are part of the ongoing work in MMTP and help to qualify the program’s outputs.

IMCC in Copenhagen
IMCC is an international conference that brings together museum leaders, architects, designers, and project managers to share knowledge about planning, construction, and development of museums. The focus is on integrating architecture, exhibition design, and storytelling from the very beginning to create inspiring and sustainable cultural institutions.

In 2025, the congress took place in Copenhagen under the theme “Storytelling in Museum Design.” Participants explored how storytelling can be woven into building and exhibition concepts so that museums become vibrant and engaging experiences. The program featured professional sessions, international case studies, exclusive visits to cultural institutions – including the National Museum of Denmark – an architecture cruise, and a reception at BIG’s Copenhagen studio.