Taking Universität Hamburg’s University Museum as an example, this presentation will address the following questions: What can and should a university museum in the twenty-first century be and do? And what distinguishes a university museum from any other public museum? The presentation will also illuminate the positive and negative aspects of having a museum in a university and the effectiveness and potential of such an institution, both within the university itself and in society at large. Further questions ask how the museum can be shaped by society and how participation can be fostered. The University Museum was established in 2019 to honor Universität Hamburg’s centenary. It is housed in the historical and protected Main Building. There are 500 square meters for the permanent exhibition and events. The Center for Collections and Museums Unit, which also coordinates the University’s collections, is responsible for the academic stewardship of the museum.