Abstract
More than 30 years ago the idea for a “new museology” came to be, urging institutions to move from being collections-centered and adhering to curators’ absolute authority towards more community-based approaches. Circulating ideas at the time began to redefine what the museum’s purpose and responsibilities of its staff should be, shifting from a static cabinet of curiosities to a dynamic public space, and for staff to consider themselves as stewards and facilitators, rather than experts and administrators. Since then, numerous academics, artists and practitioners, and museum professionals have pushed their organizations towards being participatory and engaged with communities. Still, with looming and “institutionally-ambitious” ideas of how a museum can and should function as advocates for community, institutions face barriers regarding issues from lack of funding, insufficient staff support, or shortcomings in the database. This showcase will discuss what it means to reorient the museum by creating access to cultural collections for diasporic communities. Through public transparency and “reverse gatekeeping,” the Oceania and Asia collections at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Washington in Seattle serve as catalysts for heritage-learning, and bridges between students and the collections’ respective Pacific Islander and Asian American communities.
Presenters
Gabrielle MangaserCollections Assistant, Heritage: Arts and Cultures, Oceania and Asia, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Washington, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Community, Engagement, Cultural, Collections, Heritage
