The museum industry has a lot to be proud of, but it also has a history of racism, sexism, colonialism and other oppressive structures. These legacies persist in many ways today, from the architecture of museums to the language used in their labels.
A new book looks at how museums have struggled with these issues through the ages. It shows that museum directors have found creative ways to balance the often competing needs of audience, collections, patrons and educational goals. Its goal is to help museums think about their futures, drawing inspiration from the past.
Author Donatien Grau traveled extensively to interview museum leaders, visiting institutions around the world to get their perspectives on the present state of the field. This volume draws on those conversations to highlight some of the most interesting moments in museum history.
One of the earliest episodes in museum history was when collectors started to organize their collections into “cabinets” of curiosities. As the age of explorers opened up the world to Europeans, these collection began to include works from the far flung corners of the globe.
Eventually these private curiosities would be converted into the nation’s treasured heritage, and museums were born. Museums were designed to serve a particular set of interests, and they quickly became part of national and imperial narratives.
In the early 20th century, the museum world focused on collecting a broad range of art from across the globe for a collection called Ethnology. This included art from sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Islamic world and the Pacific Islands. This was a part of a broad effort to understand the world, and it was widely believed that this work could be used to shape international understanding and diplomacy.
But this was a time of deep structural racism and sexism in America, and many curators on these collecting expeditions were college-educated, affluent white American men. These curators used their access to wealth and power to purchase works from people who were not yet able to buy them for themselves. Frequently, these works were sold through curio shops or local art dealers. Many of these collectors were unaware that their acquisitions violated the laws of appropriation, which call for the return of artworks to their originating communities.
Even though the museum field had begun to address these problems, the legacy of colonialism and imperialism continued to shape the way museums functioned. By the end of the second world war, museums were working to break free from these ingrained ideological frameworks.
As an example, in response to decades of Indigenous activism and the passage of laws like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Brooklyn Museum prioritizes repatriating ancestors, belongings, sacred and ceremonial objects and other works to their communities. This work requires a great deal of time and attention to ensure that the rightful owners are heard and their wishes are respected.
The more we understand how museums have tried to balance their multiple obligations and goals, the better equipped we will be to help them find their way into a more equitable future. A new generation is navigating a complex set of challenges and the museum must play an active role in shaping this future, both as an institution and as an agent of change.
