Open Forum

Hello,

An online petition was recently brought to my attention, and I'm curious to see how various members of the museum community may (or may not) be responding to the issue upon which it is focused.  The petition calls for the removal of certain people from the boards of certain museums due to what is perceived to be the contradictory nature of the missions of the museums and the business and political activities of the board member. 

Many of us like to think of museums as being "not about politics" or at least politically neutral, yet as science itself has become a political issue (see evolution, climate change, etc.) it seems to be getting more difficult to for museums to avoid politics. 

Museums have become increasingly dependent on private funding for their exhibits, programs, and operations, and often those with the means to contribute heavily to museums are the same people who also contribute to political parties or electoral campaigns and hire lobbyists to influence public policy.  This can create some interesting juxtapositions for museums.  A donor who finances their latest new exhibit about the origins of life also donates to politicians who craft policy to allow/require teaching creationism in public schools.  A museum displaying an exhibit about climate change may be partially financed by an oil company which actively fights environmental regulations aimed at curbing carbon emissions.   

The petition seeks to engage the general public about this issue, but I'm curious how/if museums are dealing with this issue internally.  Have any gone so far as to draw a line in the sand and refuse (or not solicit) donations from people or businesses that do not align with their missions, scientific pursuits or exhibit content?  The potential for the ruffling of feathers (and the loss of money) is very real, but so are the missions of the museums.  Thanks to any who share their thoughts on this issue, and happy Tuesday! 

     Michael


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Michael Holland
Principal/Owner
Michael Holland Productions
Bozeman MT
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Reading Robert C. Post's Who Owns America's Past?  The Smithsonian and the Problem of History
will give a good background of what happens when politics - whether it is political party, religious belief, a manufacturer's product, or financial support controls exhibit decisions.  John Dower wrote in the New York Times on Sept. 21, 2004, "detail, qualifications, nuance, context.  It is a matter of scholarship."

Fact needs to come before fiction.  It is important as staff and board members are chosen, the museum needs to be made up of individuals who will work as a team.  It must be remembered that "critical inquiry and responsible revision remain the lifeblood of any intellectual enterprise.  All stories change according to the politics, conflicts, preferences, and viewpoint of he speaker. 

The question revolves around the answer to this question: Do we run an amusement park or do we direct a museum?
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Peter Durbin
Board Chairman
American Farmer Museum & Educational Center
Blissfield MI
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