Thank you, John Suau, for your comments! I am also wondering about this, but
didn’t have the excuse of writing a paper to ask about it. Doesn't anyone
have any comments? Come on, people!
I know that a diversity initiatives are certainly NOT "common to all
museums". It certainly is a trend, even in small and non-urban museums, to
include "diversity" in exhibits, and in some cases this is a big step.
However, I think this is only the first level. What about hiring practices,
collections policies, programming? I know a lot of the better-funded museums
are doing more collaborative projects with targeted communities, in many
aspects of museum work-- not just exhibits. But I also know some other
museums (small and large) which seem to consider diversity a non-issue once
they get a couple of brown faces represented in their galleries.
The barriers to diversity? Well, start with a homogenous staff-- I work
in a museum with an all-white, middle class, U.S.-born staff. We have Plains
Indian objects in the collection, and on exhibit, but how INVESTED are any of
us (the staff) in the Native American community? Wouldn't that exhibit be
more powerful if the people these object represent were to speak for
themselves instead of through white curators? Wouldn't Native Americans be
more likely to come to the museum as visitors? Wouldn't their increased
visitation encourage young Native Americans to go into museum careers? Its
all connected.
Another barrier to collaboration is the inherently political nature of it.
Its certainly easier to avoid the issue than to risk engaging it. Your
efforts could backfire, your curatorial authority may be undermined, you may
have to face "ugly" aspects of your beloved town's history, you may be
uncomfortable with cultural differences... Then again, it could be
tremendously rewarding.
Another can-o-worms... In what ways is it better for individual ethnic and
religious communities to start their own museums rather than working with
established "generic" museums? What would museums look like if there was no
racism-- melting pot? or celebrating differences?
I’m being deliberately controversial here because I can’t believe no one has
commented on this important issue. Ill let you all jump in now!
Carrie Beauchamp, Registrar (etc.)
CFD Old West Museum
Cheyenne, Wyoming
(This rant certainly does NOT reflect the opinion of my employer!)
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