MUSEUMS CHANGE LIVES The British museum organisation’s recent policy statement, ‘Museums Change Lives’, goes even further by expecting museums to reach out and actually contribute to resolving some of the social problems that society is facing. This is a case of social justice as a key result of what the museums are doing for society. Museums are to safeguard people’s quality of life and wellbeing, regardless of people’s social background. This means irrespective of whether they are unemployed, homeless or belong to privileged or neglected groups. Another challenge is the increasing proportion of senior citizens. The museums should do more to make elderly people’s lives better. It is evident in the British context that museums cannot resolve the problems on their own, but that through partnerships with social organisations, the museums can supplement their own organisations with the competences they lack. The museums are also encouraged to upskill their staff in order to equip the museums to undertake social tasks. In other words, museums are to make the world a better place by creating understanding between different people groups and cultures and by participating actively in the local community where they are located. Efficient museums facilitate active participation, just as co-creation is a keyword, regardless of whether you are an art museum, a cultural history museum or a natural history museum. The task is to inspire people, create meaning, reflection and space for critical thinking. The museums are to take society’s current problems into consideration and encourage citizens to reflect on them:
“THE BEST MUSEUMS USE THEIR POSITION OF TRUST TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REFLECT ON SOCIETY’S CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES. THEY PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS, CHALLENGE PREJUDICE AND CHAMPION FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY.” It may seem like there is a long way to go from questionnaires and derived spreadsheets at the ticket sales of a Danish museum to these museum trends from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, respectively. However, if museums are to secure political legitimacy, increased quality in their offers and the joy of reaching new user groups and citizens while endeavouring to play a more active and relevant role in society in future, the collection of statistical data and documentation about the citizens and users who are the focus of all this is crucial.
H E R I TA G E M A N A G E M E N T A N D S O C I A L C H A N G E > T H E R O L E O F M U S E U M S I N S O C I E T Y
262