How can museums, historic sites, and cultural centers become centers of civic life in our communities?
Museums, historic sites, and cultural centers around the world are assuming a bold new role in addressing the most pressing issues of our time. Beyond places of passive learning, each has the potential to be, as the American Association of Museums envisions, “a center where people gather to meet and converse... an active, visible player in civic life, a safe haven, a trusted incubator of change.” But museums and cultural centers cannot meet this new potential with traditional tools of the trade: they require new strategies, tactics, and new forms of support.
I feel renewed in my willingness to challenge people directly on sensitive issues by creating the kind of space where it has the chance to generate understanding rather than defensiveness that refuses to question itself. – Mario Longoni, Field Museum
“Using the Past to Shape the Future” brought together over 200 scholars, activists, funders, and culture-makers from around the country to share examples of a new museum practice— one that will transform museums from marginal attractions to critical resources in their communities. From, Baltimore to Buenos Aires, museums and cultural centers are developing innovative ways to address difficult and divisive issues. They are interpreting their histories from multiple perspectives, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and fostering public dialogue and active citizen participation in confronting the legacies of those histories today. As a result, they are serving as our new town halls, powerful new forums for civic engagement and democracy building.
Over two days, analyzing specific case studies and sharing experiences in workshop discussions, participants addressed questions of how museums and cultural centers can:
- Connect their history or cultural resources to the issues that matter most to your community
- Train their staff and volunteers to connect the past with their community’s present
- Form effective partnerships with community organizations and educational institutions?
- Interpret the past from multiple perspectives, inspiring visitors to question issues and become more actively engaged in addressing them
- Promote effective dialogue with diverse stakeholder groups, visitors, and communities, even on sensitive issues
And throughout, participants discussed: Why should museums and cultural centers take on this more difficult role? How does it benefit us?
Finally, in wrap-up sessions titled “So What, Now What,” participants developed as set of new directions for the museums field including new approaches to education, evaluation, fundraising, and exhibit planning.
With this report, we hope to continue the learning and exchange among conference participants, and share the valuable ideas and resources with thousands of colleagues around the world. This report includes specific program models as well as general approaches; resources for further ideas; and how to contact all those participants who brought their rich experiences to the conference.
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