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Are museums activists? Should they be activists? I would argue that museums have an opportunity to bring activism, however subtly, into their galleries. With the removal of the Theodore Roosevelt statue outside the Museum of Natural History, and the Brooklyn Museum opening up its closed doors to provide restrooms to protesters, it is heartening to see large institutions getting on the activist bandwagon. But besides these more one-shot or temporary events, how can museums begin thinking about their work more broadly through an activist lens?
Here are 3 Ways Museums are Activists:
Image: Infographics on incarceration in the United States from Behind Bars: Incarceration in the West at the Autry Museum of the American West. Photo credit: Emma Thorne-Christy.
Image: “Three of these labels are incorrect: the stories are made up. Which is the real description of the object?” activity in History Hangout at the Oakland Museum of California. Photo credit: Emma Thorne-Christy.
Image: “Travel Fears: For explorers in the 1500s to 1800s, cannibalism was a fear. Do you recall a trip that you took to some place entirely new and different? What were some of your fears? How did the trip turn out? Use these journals to tell us about it” activity in Cannibals: Myth & Reality at the San Diego Museum of Man. Photo credit: Emma Thorne-Christy.
I believe that all museums are capable of incorporating the above ideas into their institutions. Some museums may choose to go further, exploring questions such as: should our museum back a specific cause? Should we direct visitors to calls for action? Should we apply the values we inspire in our visitors to the structure of our institution? For some institutions, these questions are easier to answer than others, given their mission statements and stakeholders. Through combating the spread of misinformation, teaching and inspiring critical thinking, and creating dialogical spaces, museums promote activism.
This is part one of a multi-part series on museums, activism and politics.
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Emma Thorne-Christy is an exhibition designer and activist artist based in Los Angeles, California. Emma works with museums, libraries, universities, and cultural centers to create informal and inspiring learning environments. She is fascinated with the ways in which physical environments can inspire civic engagement. Find out more at: www.ExhibitsOfHumanity.com
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