If you’re a museum-goer or have ever had to explain one to a naysayer, you know that museums have the power to transform even the most sour souls with their carefully curated collections and transcendent exhibitions. And though many of the world’s most visited museums are famous for their collection of art and history, they also have a knack for making you think differently about the society that created them. Despite being known for their jaw-dropping collections and thought-provoking exhibitions, museums still face criticism over issues like racism, cultural colonialism, and the way in which they communicate the past to the present and future.
For this reason, it’s important for us to consider the newest definition of a museum from the body responsible for its delineation: the International Council of Museums (ICOM). A new, more inclusive definition was put forth in 2019 and, while some aspects of the old one remain, the new one identifies more than just preservation and exposition.
Icom’s new definition states that museums “hold the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity in trust for all the peoples of the earth and its futures, democratising spaces for critical dialogue and polyphonic exchanges on our shared pasts, present and futures.” It also calls for museums to work in active partnership with and for diverse communities, preserving and exhibiting their material culture while promoting and expanding research, education and learning. Its last point, “contributing to human dignity and social justice, global equality and planetary wellbeing,” is perhaps the most dramatic of all.
Museums have a lot to live up to, but ICOM’s new definition has a long way to go before it’s truly a reflection of the diverse world we live in. The new definition was hard-fought, and phrases such as decolonisation and repatriation-which are crucial for many museums in the developing world-were notably absent from it.
The word “museum” has classical origins and, in its Latin form, mouseion, referred to a seat of the Muses or a place for philosophical discussion. By the 17th century, it had begun to be used in Europe to refer to collections of curiosities, such as Ole Worm’s collection in Copenhagen or John Tradescant’s array at Lambeth (now a London borough) that eventually was moved to Oxford and called the Ashmolean Museum.
Over time, as the purpose and role of museums was more clearly identified, a body of theory developed, which is now referred to as museology. However, the apprenticeship method of training for museum workers meant that practical aspects of museum work were often done without the benefit of this theory. Consequently, this caused a mismatch between the theoretical understanding of the museum and its practical application. Until other organizations began to coordinate, develop and promote museums, this mismatch would persist.