Sixteenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Museums have the power to reach audiences across backgrounds and have long been acknowledged as sites of learning and knowledge sharing which is a foundational and relevant facet of this long-standing institution. However, museums, more than anything, should encourage exploration, discovery, joy, play, and rest. Museums, as they currently appear and function, do not create space for this range of actions and emotions. The imposing architecture and intimidating campuses of traditional museums might deter visitors from engaging with the space. And once inside, a sea of white walls, which represent “purity” to cleanse the visual palette, makes the space seem clinical, sterile, and loveless. These visual markers all serve the white gaze, intentionally subduing the visitor into conformity. In adherence with the latest ICOM definition of museums as “accessible and inclusive” spaces, the traditional appearance of museums should not turn visitors away from engaging with the space, it should allude to the power of museums to be an agent for the range of emotions discussed above. This paper argues that by infusing bright and audacious colors into the exterior and interior design of a museum, visitors can engage obnoxiously with the space, defying traditional museum etiquette. In doing so, visitors might feel more inclined to view the museum as “home” which naturally encourages community building. Additionally, this paper explores what museums might look like if they were prioritized as a gathering place before a space of education, or a space that collects and preserves objects.