Can We Make Museums Great Again?
Are the people currently running museums really the best able to garner support (parse "support" however you like -- financial, political, cultural ...) from the Trump administration and Trump voters?
The reason I ask, beyond the pragmatic concerns about the future of federal agencies like IMLS and NEH that help fund museums, has to do with how and why people choose to visit (or not visit) or support (or not support) museums.
If many people cast their recent presidential votes with their "hearts" over their "heads," might museums actually be better at increasing their audience reach and support if their appeal was more emotional and less intellectual? (Of course, many museum experiences are deeply emotional, but that's only true for those who actually step inside.)
Many cultural institutions (including museums) face declining audiences and funding streams due to shifting demographics and attitudes. And while museum professionals constantly strive to broaden their reach to their communities, should their aim focus on potential visitors' guts rather than their heads? What can entice museum-shy or museum-averse folks to cross the thresholds of our institutions?
I'm NOT advocating for eliminating content or erasing history -- although some museums seem to be pre-emptively censoring themselves by covering up displays or closing galleries that involve stories highlighting women, people of color, or transgender people in response to vague Executive Branch edicts.
But I wonder -- how we can shift our approaches to help an even broader group of visitors connect to the emotional value and resonance of museums -- the collections and stories of interest and importance to every American?
What should we take away from the current political climate to Make Museums Great Again™?
Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!
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