Museums — broadly defined to include botanical gardens and zoos as well as institutions dedicated to art, history, science, individuals and groups, and even concepts – fulfill our missions with a commitment to building strong communities through the lifelong process of civic engagement.
In an age of increasing reliance on technology for connecting as individuals, the unique strength of museums is our ability to connect communities within trusted public gathering places that encourage individuals to interact with each other physically, emotionally, and intellectually.
Our future depends on an individual’s connection to, and participation in, a larger community – one in which we all are willing to invest and support for our common good. In a democracy, civil society develops tools, such as schools, nonprofit institutions, and museums among others, to assist us in establishing a community. A sense of shared ownership in our community is something that cannot be taken for granted – it requires trust and engagement. Museums facilitate the understanding and dialogue needed to enable that connection for the individual to the larger community.
In Atlanta, where we are divided geographically as well as socially, this is particularly important. We tend to self-select to live among people like ourselves (however defined) and are increasingly isolated, living scattered throughout a region where traffic, if nothing else, provides a barrier to interacting with others isolated from one another in a non-planned random fashion.
Museums play a vital role in shaping the cultural identities of our cities. This establishes the image of a leading regional, national, and international metropolis that attracts talent and business to grow the region. Yet, museums in Atlanta, and Georgia, receive little public funds for cultural institutions compared with cities such as Chicago, Dallas, Boston, and Denver, with Denver being the poster child for what a region can do. There is no question their funding mechanism for arts, parks, and transportation has improved quality of life and strengthened the entire community.
Even without that level of public funding, we have established fine institutions in our region, thanks in large part to a robust foundation community and civic leaders who have long recognized the critical role museums play within our communities, including an increasingly essential educational role for children.
I believe, however, if you strip it all away, museums exist for one ultimate reason — to form a better community. By committing resources that encourage cultural interaction, collaborative interpretation, and community engagement, museums are civic assets that strengthen the connections that bind society together.
The challenge now is to take these existing assets and increase their impact. As a community, we need to think about public support that can help remove barriers and allow our organizations to strategically build bridges within our rapidly evolving region, and connect individuals within, and across, our distinct communities.
In support of the annual American Alliance of Museums national conference being held in Atlanta this week, our city’s cultural attractions worked together to participate in Museum Week. We hope all Atlantans take advantage of special offers to not only explore Atlanta’s museums, but to join in the dialogue of what you believe museums can – and should – do for our communities.
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