Open Forum

 At a time when our national narratives are breaking down, disinformation is proliferating, and divergent views are hardening, museums must find new ways to engage with visitors to create lively, substantive discourse. Lacking a common starting point, science and history museums need to develop strategies for intentional listening and responsive dialogue. The goal is not to convert visitors to one particular view, but rather to enlist them in a journey of discovery, at the end of which success might be embodied in reflection and open-mindedness: "I hadn't thought of it that way before . . ."

Erin Carlson Mast, former CEO of President Lincoln's Cottage and now President of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, has led the way in strategic and interpretive planning, staff development, and developing resilient organizations that can meet the needs of diverse audiences. She is the author of essays on interpretation, including a chapter "On Bearing Witness" in CHANGE IS REQUIRED: PREPARING FOR THE POST-PANDEMIC MUSEUM, to be published in August.