The concepts of Museum and Fine Arts Museum have been constantly questioned since their emergence. The national and archeological museums supplemented the first science museums and art history museums. But it is mainly during the 1970’s that new forms of museums are introduced: the “ecomuseum”, the “interpretive center” or the Centre Georges Pompidou.

 What is left today from those new ideas: the involvement of the public, the mediation, the multidisciplinary or the introduction of a new museum marketing policy? The museum is now a global phenomenon. This museum globalization presents similarities in establishments that have been inaugurated in great fanfare in mains cities throughout the world.

 Is there a space left, next to those expensive and ambitious projects, for more modest institutions, locally rooted, that would like to offer an alternative model that would not only be based on cultural consumerism but also on a capacity to turn the visitor into an actor of the museum content through a participative and multidisciplinary approach that would be social, artistic and educational?

 How is the Mashriq facing this phenomenon? By reviewing the main cities’ national and archeological museums of the area that are following the same trends observed in Europe, we will study, through different projects conducted from Sour to Lebanon, the way in which less solemn experiences can find their place inside medium cities or neighborhoods. Such an approach is led with the intention of making local population more involved and of making those projects sustainable in both cultural and financial aspects.

** Marc Terrisse** is a doctor in History and holds a Master degree in Management of Cultural Institutions from Paris Dauphine University. As a CNRS associate researcher, he published several articles and books about contemporary museum problematics. He defends in particular a multidisciplinary and participative approach of those cultural institutions. He also led researches focusing on the Islamic heritage of Provence and Languedoc and is interested in minorities’ issues and in their role in history and culture. Marc Terrisse founded the association Le Regard de l’Autre (“Looking through someone else’s eyes”) that aims to promote minorities’ history and heritage through the organization of cultural events. As the former director of the Arab World Institute of Tourcoing, he worked with Amin Maalouf, Jean-Claude Carrière and other internationally known artists. He frequently leads advice missions to cultural institutions, museums or regions.