Date: February 8th 2010

When I worked at the New Jersey Historical Society we - as well as the Newark Museum - held some programs related to the aftermath of 9/11. The Newark Museum also transformed a space into an indoor garden as a place for reflection, etc. I believe there were also places in the NYC area that did the same, especially those not near Ground Zero.

You might also check out the International Coalition of Museums of Conscience, they may have other examples.

Claudia Ocello

President & CEO

Museum Partners Consulting, LLC

www.museumpartnersconsulting.com

Engaging Audiences, Empowering Staff

-----Original Message-----
From: magaikenus@gmail.com
Sent: Feb 8, 2010 4:07 PM
To: dia715@earthlink.net
Subject: The Role of Museums in a Community Crisis?

Dear Museum Educators,

"The Role of Museums in a Community Crisis," is the working title for my final graduate school paper. I have found the journal "Museums and Social Issues" to be a great resource however I am curious if any of YOU have had any experience with or knowledge of museums' reactions to local community crises?

I am looking for a case study, ideally when the museum's collection or building was not in peril, when a museum has voluntarily offered their community a forum for discussion, or a place for reflection and renewed hope after a conflict, disruption or tragic event?

Some preliminary questions I am hoping to answer in my paper are:

What is the role of a museum when faced with a community problem or crisis?
What can museums do to benefit our community in times of intellectual need, and emotional or psychological distress?
How are our institutions expected to react to these situations that affect our constituents but may not necessarily involve our collection or area of expertise?
Can museums really afford to do nothing in the face of community upheaval or instability?
With respect to planning and implementing a museum's response to crisis, how can we build a shared vision and consensus within the museum especially if the community issue is controversial?

I know this is a long list of questions but I am hoping to narrow it down. :)

Thank you for any insights or ideas you may have. I am exploring this issue because I believe part of the amazing potential of museums is their ability to foster communities of informed and involved citizens.

Best regards,

Margaret Aiken

Museum Education graduate student

Tufts University
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