Fourteenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum

Abstract

At a time when questions about the social value of museums are often reduced to visitor numbers, there has been surprisingly little focus on the overall value that the smaller art museums generate in their local communities. In Denmark, the majority of the dissemination of Danish art history is handled by the smaller and locally based art museums. Despite the fact that this type of museum dominates the Danish cultural landscape outside the biggest cities, studies that evaluate the value of smaller art museums, as it takes place in conjunction with art historical expertise across platforms and stakeholders, are extremely rare. The present study of Ribe Art Museum and its local stakeholders remedies this research gab. Building on empirical data from on-site observations and 22 interviews with different stakeholders spanning museum employees, volunteers, local visitors, representatives from trade and tourism, public cultural management and politicians, this paper analyses the strategy and function of a local museum as a visible and active player in the local community. In discussing the concept of “value” from the perspective of different stakeholders, the study demonstrates how a small, local and regional art museum can function as a driving force in the local environment, not only (but also) as a cultural focal point, but as a generator for tourism, trade, social wellbeing, and economic growth.