Museum is a broad term that can be applied to many types of institutions and experiences. For example, art museums can provide thought-provoking exhibitions that challenge preconceived notions about what art is and can be, while science museums often use objects to help explain scientific principles. Museums can even serve as a form of education, with studies showing that children who visit museums learn more than those who do not.
Museums may differ in their approach, but they all share a core mission: to make art, history and culture accessible and relevant to everyone. As the world becomes increasingly globalized, this goal is more important than ever before. But how do museums make this happen?
This article looks at the many ways that museums work with their communities to foster inclusion, accessibility and sustainability. Museums that strive for these goals will continue to be important in the future and help to build a better world.
In the past, museums were viewed as institutions that housed treasured objects and artifacts for all to enjoy and study. But now, museums are being seen as places that can offer a unique perspective on the world and inspire change. They are also becoming a place to explore how we as a society can live together in peace, understanding and respect.
A new definition of the word museum has been proposed by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). This definition challenges museums to change their relationships with communities, moving away from exclusive, expert knowledge and towards a more inclusive and collaborative approach.
The new definition describes a museum as “an institution in the service of present and future societies that is open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment and provides spaces for learning to all on an equal basis.”
Museums have long been considered educational institutions, but their educational value is sometimes overlooked by those outside of the sector. Museums can teach content across disciplines and at all levels, from primary school to university level. They can also provide a unique platform to present information that would not be available anywhere else, such as through their collections or in their educational programmes.
For example, some museums such as the Griffith Observatory and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia have very few artifacts but are still considered to be a museum because of their ability to engage visitors with compelling stories that resonate with students. At the other end of the spectrum, the National Holocaust Memorial in Washington D.C. is one of the most powerful and haunting museums in the world because it uses real artifacts to illustrate the horrors of a genocide that occurred on a global scale.
A number of other museum professionals have weighed in on the debate over the museum’s role as an educational institution, including Susie Wilkening and James Chung of Reach Advisors, who argue that museums are not just about artifacts; they are about engaging with the world through stories. And in a time when the world is facing many social and environmental challenges, this is a vital message to get out to the public.