Below is a list of articles that touch upon museums and social inclusion we came across and enjoyed reading this month. What articles did you enjoy reading this month?
Transgender representation in museums: The Morrisson County Historical Society takes bold steps in aiming to represent the diverse histories that make up its community through a participatory exhibition project. This blogposts serie explores the Historical Society’s motivations to take on such a project along with opportunities and challenges it has faced along the way. (Small Museums Online Community)
Idle No More protests in the British Museum: Idle No More is a grassroots movement that originated among Aboriginal Peoples in Canada fighting for the respect of Indigenous treaty rights and aiming to stop environmental degradation, along with economic and social inequality. In solidarity with Idle No More Canada, members of Idle No More London recently protested in the British Museum, seen as a symbol of the injustices that First Nations and other indigenous peoples face (colonialism, artifact appropriation, cultural misrepresentation, etc.). Interesting springboard to thinking about museums’ claims of being neutral spaces along with how we develop exhibitions and work with our communities. (Hyperallergic)
Historical Houses reaching out to new audiences: Historic Houses struggle to remain relevant and appealing in a changing society. To address these issues, the Connecticut Landmarks will be turning one of their sties (Hempsted Houses) into a lab to experiment with new interpretive strategies. They will be working with teenagers on subjects touching upon race, slavery, social justice, and societal change. (Center for the Future of Museum Blog)
Addressing ageism in a museum setting: The Israel Children’s Museum in Holon, near Tel Aviv has an interesting exhibit up: “Dialogue With Time.” This exhibit explores issues of ageism and how aging affects everyone through simulation, games, and dialogue platforms. (Smithsonian Magazine)
Museum program challenges students to rethink race, beauty and stereotypes: The St. Louis Art Museum has partnered with the Anti-Defamation League to create a school program, Concepts of Beauty and Bias, exploring artworks through the lens of class, gender, and race. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Strengthening Immigrant Voices through Museum–Community College Partnerships: Both community colleges and museums are impacted by the shifting demographics currently taking place in the U.S. This article proposes that, as the immigrant population increases, higher education institutions and museums join forces to work innovatively with this potential constituency. For example, the project CALTA21 uses art as a catalyst for language learning and the curriculum as a bridge connecting immigrant students to museums as sources of empowerment. Be sure to check the project’s website linked at the bottom of the article. (Association of American Colleges and Universities–Diversity & Democracy)
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