Fund GUM & Botanical Garden

The museum’s day-to-day operations

The museum and botanical garden are constantly evolving. Your support helps to strengthen our day-to-day operations and create scope for new ideas, public activities and sustainable investments.

We are constantly working to develop a varied programme for different audiences, featuring both one-time events and regular activities. We do this through lectures, performances, debates, salon discussions, exhibitions, workshops, podcasts and much more.

Research and educational projects

The GUM and the Botanical Garden are places where collections, research and education come together. The academic collection is not only a rich source for our exhibitions, but is also the subject of ongoing research by students and researchers. A large proportion of the objects have not yet been digitised, catalogued or even identified. Research is therefore essential for the management, accessibility and further development of knowledge relating to this collection.

The Botanical Garden is home to many rare and endangered plant species and also plays an important role in scientific research. Don’t be surprised if you see a group of students wandering around the Botanical Garden with pen and paper.

To continually encourage new research and facilitate fresh perspectives on the collections, both the museum and the Botanical Garden offer opportunities for internships and research projects. In the future, we aim to build even more bridges between the collections and research. To this end, we not only collaborate within the university but also forge alliances with other research institutions and museums.

Your support creates additional opportunities for students and researchers to engage with these collections and to develop and share new knowledge.

Specific initiatives focusing on participation, inclusion, diversity and education

We aim to make science and scientific heritage accessible and relevant to as wide an audience as possible. Your support helps us to reach new target groups, lower barriers to access and develop projects that give space to different voices and perspectives.

One such initiative is MuST, or the Museum Student Team. This brings together committed students from various degree programmes who share a passion for science, art and museum studies. They engage in critical reflection on our operations, and through their initiatives and feedback, MuST members help keep GUM & the Botanical Garden running smoothly.

Alongside research, we place a strong emphasis on education, offering guided tours, workshops, lectures and exhibitions for schools, families and groups. Everything is tailored to the specific target audience. Our team of guides is also constantly developing new activities and programmes tailored to diverse visitors. We are continually working to make our programme as inclusive as possible. For example, we offer guided tours in sign language, and there are programmes available for non-Dutch speakers.

Artists Berlinde De Bruyckere and Piet Van have both generously donated works to GUM & Plantentuin. These are currently on display in the museum shop. Visitors have the unique opportunity to purchase art and thereby support GUM & Plantentuin in its continued development as a Forum for Science, Doubt & Art, with a particular focus on collection care, participation and creation.

Are you interested in one or more reproductions? If so, please contact info.gum@ugent.be or leave your details at the reception desk.