A museum is a building full of old stuff. But it’s also a place to educate, entertain, and inspire. Museums enthrall us with thought-provoking art, history, and culture from around the world. They make us rethink what we think we know about the past, and they challenge visitors to consider how we live in today’s complex society. But some people are quick to dismiss museums as boring and irrelevant, especially those who have never been to one.
Thankfully, some museums have perfected the art of making museum experiences that transform naysayers into believers. From Griffith Observatory to the National Constitution Center, museums have mastered the art of curating compelling exhibitions that transcend their collections.
Many of these museums have lofty mission statements that aim to make the public aware of important cultural issues. While some museums have few or no artifacts at all (National Constitution Center), others have very substantial and impressive art collections that make for a truly memorable experience — such as the Louvre or the British Museum.
But for all their success, the majority of museums still struggle to define themselves and communicate their meanings. The new ICOM definition challenges museums to cede some of their institutional authority, shift their objective from transmitting expert knowledge, and instead foster dialogue and connection with diverse communities. This is a fundamental change, and a significant undertaking that requires the commitment of all museum professionals.
While there are countless museum definitions circulating, the five functions of a museum, as defined by Noble, remain the most widely accepted: “to collect, conserve, study, interpret, and exhibit.” These five tasks form an entity, like the fingers of a hand, independent but united for common purpose. A museum that omits or slights any of these tasks will handicap itself immeasurably.
The ICOM Define Committee has been working to develop a framework for the definition of a museum that reflects these five functions and their interrelationships. As part of the elaboration of this framework, ICOM Define conducted four rounds of consultations with the museum community. The results of these consultations are reflected in the museum definition proposals that were presented for vote at ICOM Prague 2022.
Each of the five proposals has been developed from different starting points and has its own strengths and weaknesses. ICOM Define will use the results of the votes to prepare a new draft, which will be presented for consideration at the next General Assembly in 2023.
As the process continues, it is important to remember that museums are democratising spaces for critical debates about our pasts and futures. They hold artefacts and specimens in trust for society, preserve and safeguard diverse memories for future generations, and actively engage with their diverse communities, while aiming to contribute to human dignity, social justice, global equality, and planetary well-being. The new ICOM definition is an essential tool to help them achieve these ambitious goals.