On Mon, 10 Mar 1997, Tod Engine wrote:

:| The question of creating exhibits about "people of color" and other ethnic
:| cultures seems, to me, to be the wrong question.  Will the disadvantaged
:| (or even many of  the advantaged) from these cultures come to the museum
:| to
:| absorb these exhibits?  There is experience to show that this audience
:| just
:| doesn't really care.  The traditional museum-goer does care for diversity,
:| but really as a learning experience and not to stimulate his/her concern
:| for the "have-nots.">>
:|
:| We must be careful that our museums do not start to assume the role of
:| other charities that specifically are created to help those who are
:| disadvantaged.  The role of the museum is to preserve and interpret our
:| history, and quite frankly, there is so much history that is being lost
:| that museums do not have the luxury of becoming the next United Way.
:|
:| True, we are a part of the human community, but we have a specific role in
:| that community.  If the disadvantaged want to become advantaged why are
:| they not visiting our museums and libraries to learn?

"A hungry man makes a poor philosopher," to paraphrase someone. He
probably makes a poor museum attendee, also.

Museums may not be the second coming of the United Way, but neither
should they be a temples to history disconnected from the present.

Rather than looking at how the museum role is separate from the
human community, let's examine the ways in which the museum function
can be better integrated into the fabric of the community.  If we
want the "disadvantaged" to visit our museums and libraries to
learn, what are we doing to clear their path?


Rich Johnson
"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to include all
living things, man will not himself find peace." --Albert Schweitzer