The Future of Museums

Steve Lubar, as stated in his introduction, ‘has an incredible influence on how Americans understand the past.’  His involvement with universities and museums, including Brown and the Smithsonian, aggregates into an impressive and experienced career; his collection of knowledge could fill a museum, which he, in a way, is—in the classroom.  In his ‘conversation’ with Seth Bruggeman, they discussed topics concerning the role, future, and challenges of museums.

As we have all realized, our image of society is constantly evolving.  Once merely focusing on objects and the knowledge we can gain from them, museums now shift their focus to include the audience and the transformation of the museum into a social space.  The visitor has become a co-curator in the shaping of the museum, which is competing against modern technology.  With televisions, computers, iPhones, etc. people are able to experience an entire world at their fingertips.  The question is, what can museums do that people normally cannot?  Lubar suggests that by providing the public with this social space, people have the opportunity to interact with one another.  Consequently, museums must appeal to and work with a diverse public in communicating a cultural understanding of the past.  Regardless of the museum’s efforts, however, the visitor ultimately shapes his or her own knowledge and experience. 

Lubar also recommended that museums work together in order to survive.  The sharing of collections and the formation of a universal catalogue, as libraries and archives have already progressed towards, could bond museums together.  Doesn’t this sound familiar… the Royal Society in England attempted a universal collection in the 17^th century, but we have come a long way since then.  With the numerous, diverse museums spanning the globe, a universal collection has probably already been accomplished.  A universal cataloguing of all these collections could benefit and strengthen all museums, producing a worldwide network of knowledge.

There is, however, no clear path towards the future; new techniques and ways of thinking will once again transform the museum, which can only try to maintain the same pace as modernity and keep a firm grasp on the public’s attention.