by Sarah Bent
I recently picked up a copy of Museums in Crisis from a pile of curbside books destined for the trash. Outdated or still relevant? A quick check showed this collection of essays, edited by Brian O’Doherty, was published in 1972. I envisioned a nostalgic view into our past with a set of problems that no longer resonated with current concerns for the future of our sites. I was wrong. What I found was an insightful commentary on the seemingly unrelenting struggles that continue to plague many cultural institutions.
I began to see the connection, untainted by nostalgia, in the foreword by Nancy Hanks, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. She wrote, “In a time of increasing financial difficulty, museums are attempting to fulfill multiple responsibilities – to the public, to their collections, to their staffs, to artists, scientists and historians, and to the past, as well as the present and the future. As the task of establishing priorities becomes more intricate and involved, it becomes increasingly important to ask the right questions.” She went on to define a variety of the-then new NEA programs to address these concerns and ended with, “Only through such dialogue can the flow of ideas be encouraged and criticism of all kinds evaluated. In other words, our problems must be defined before we can solve them.”
Some of the issues brought forth in the essays were declining attendance, the need to cultivate younger patrons, a tendency to collect far more than could or would ever be put on view that created storage and preservation concerns, the reinvention of space, exhibits, even a broadened mission to entice museum goers. Does any of this sound familiar to you?
In spite of all the well-intentioned hard work this entailed, it seemed to provide only short-term novelty rather than the long-term expansion of an enduring and appreciative audience.
Define the problem, yes. First let us be clear about our parameters. Presenting history is an evolving opportunity to inspire understanding as we share old and new knowledge and offer varied perspectives. This content may lead to a more thoughtful, rather than nostalgic, view of the past. Some may feel we are turning away visitors when we provide a more inclusive story. I think we must guard against becoming merely an opportunity for “infotainment” if tempted to broaden or soften our mission merely to enlarge our audience and increase revenue.
Yes, we often struggle, but when we recognize that our growth comes through presenting differing perspectives with accurate information firmly rooted in research, preserving and presenting skills as well as objects, we will continue to engage and inspire.
Looking back to 1972 with Museums in Crisis, these institutions were lamenting the lack of younger audiences. That young demographic they felt they weren’t reaching would become the silver-haired generation that forms the majority population of support for many museums.
So please do only what you feel you can do best, don’t try to be everything for everyone, focus more on better and best practices, and less on bigger audiences. With all the problems that have plagued us for over 50 years, and, knowing human nature, will continue, museums are still here, engaging and inspiring. Thank you: You are doing a great job, an important job, don’t give up.
Sarah Bent was introduced to the practice of historic interpretation by The Monmouth County, NJ Park System where her passion for presenting accurate and engaging history through interactive programs and demonstrations became a career spanning 37 years.
ALHFAM 