Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

As museum professionals, we must constantly be aware of our collective historical biases. Since our understanding of history evolves, so must our exhibitions and collection practices. For instance, the Civil War and the subsequent Reconstruction Era continue to form Americans’ perceptions of racism in society. Consequently, citizens are calling for symbols of systemic racism, such as Confederate statues, to be recontextualized or removed from public. One of the most circulated solutions to the debate has been to put the monuments into museums—the assumption being museums are neutral institutions responsible for conserving all historical objects. However, what seems like a practical solution is burdensome to museums, their resources, and staff. I propose that museums should not accept controversial monuments into their collections for the sake of public history. By examining the changing practices of museum collecting, evaluating institutional data on conservation, and analyzing accounts from museum staff and citizens on both sides of the issue, I aim to provide a solution that removes the controversial statues from view without erasing their context.