Museum Work as (Quiet) Resistance
You know that moment when a board member suggests you "tone down" that civil rights exhibition?
Or when a donor hints that your climate science display might be "too political"?
Or when local politicians start making noise about your programming choices?
Welcome to the front lines of cultural resistance.
Guess what? Our work is inherently political.
Every object we choose to display, every story we decide to tell, every voice we amplify or silence—these are political acts, whether we acknowledge them or not.
The question isn't whether our work has political implications. The question is whether we'll own that reality and use it purposefully.
The Power of the Long Game
Politicians come and go. Donor priorities shift. But that artifact you preserve today? That story you document now? They outlast the pressure campaigns and the culture wars.
I've watched museum professionals navigate impossible situations by playing the long game. They quietly document stories that others want forgotten. They preserve objects that challenge dominant narratives. They create educational programs that plant seeds of critical thinking, even when the soil seems hostile.
Small Acts, Big Impact
Resistance in museums doesn't always look like dramatic confrontations. Sometimes it looks like:
• The educator who finds creative ways to discuss difficult topics despite administrative pushback
• The curator who ensures diverse voices are represented in "non-controversial" exhibitions
• The archivist who prioritizes preserving materials from marginalized communities
• The museum worker who creates inclusive programming even without explicit support
These aren't grand gestures. They're professional choices made with intention and integrity.
Your Professional North Star
When external pressures mount, your primary obligation is to uphold your professional ethics and ensure your community's right to access authentic, complex, and meaningful cultural experiences.
Not to a donor's comfort level. Not to a politician's talking points. Not even to your board's risk tolerance.
This doesn't mean being reckless or ignoring practical realities. It means being strategic about how you fulfill your actual mission—not the sanitized "neutral" version that keeps everyone comfortable.
The Network Effect
You are not alone, and you're more powerful than you think. Every curator making thoughtful choices, every educator refusing to oversimplify, every museum worker standing up for their community's stories—together, you create a network of (quiet) resistance that's remarkably resilient.
The pressure will come. It always does. But remember: you're not just preserving the past or entertaining the present. You're shaping the future's understanding of this moment.
Make it count.
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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