Doubt and failure, rather than success stories, take centre stage at the Ghent University Museum, known as GUM. Drawing on Ghent University's academic heritage, it shows how science actually works across diverse disciplines and calls itself a "Forum for Science, Doubt and Art," with room for artistic research. A giant mural of animal skeletons by the artist ROA covers the façade.
The museum manages the university's scientific heritage collections, which hold more than 400,000 objects from a wide range of fields. Since autumn 2020 it has operated as a single entity with the university's Botanical Garden, whose plant collections spread across an outdoor garden and several greenhouses. Both sit on the Ledeganck campus, within walking distance of Citadel Park and the MSK and SMAK art museums.
Opened in 2020, GUM received a special commendation at the European Museum of the Year Award in 2022. Jurors praised it for encouraging visitors to ask questions and think critically. A student team, MuST, helps shape how the museum runs and attracts many young visitors.
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