The Role of Today's Museum

Description

The Role of Today’s Museum provides a thorough investigation of what museums do and why. Arguing that museums are multifunctional institutions, the book examines the consequences of this for the services that museums provide, the publics to whom they are provided and the providers themselves. Adopting a wide perspective on understandings of the roles of museums and considering the different environments within which museums operate, Gray and McCall provide a new perspective on how transformations, as well as the gaps between intended policies and the actual work that is undertaken within museums, can be both identified and understood. By differentiating between social, economic and political visions and expectations of museums, the analysis in this book allows for a fuller understanding of what these organisations do and provide for their societies and the struggles and negotiations that surround their existence. The Role of Today’s Museum takes a critical, interdisciplinary approach to studying museums and museum policy. As a result, the book will be of interest to academics and students engaged in the study of museums, cultural policy, social policy, cultural sociology, public policy and cultural and political economy. Highlighting the gaps that exist between policy ideals and museum practices, the book also provides valuable insights to policy-makers and practitioners. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents List of Illustrations Figures 4.1 Locating the Museum in the Field of Cultural Production 8.1 The Structure of the Argument Tables 2.1 Potential Museum Gunctions 2.2 Sources of Functional Activity in Museums Acknowledgements 1 Introduction Introduction Understanding Museums But What are Museums For? The Structure of the Book 2 What do Museums do? What are Museums for? Introduction Which Functions? Universal Description Which Functions? Sources Which Functions? Policy Functions and Questions Conclusions 3 The Multifunctional Museum Introduction Museums and Complexity Whose Functions? Institutions, Practices, Arenas Time, Organisation, Location: the Contextualisation of Museum Functions Which Contexts? Conclusion 4 Museums, Policy, Practice and the ‘Struggle Over Space’ Introduction The Struggle Over ‘Space’ in the Museum Symbolic Violence Policy, the Policy Process and Museums ‘Top-down’ Versus ‘Bottom-Up’ Policy Governance of Museums Museums and Social Inclusion Museums, Place, Regeneration and Urban Development Conclusions 5 Museums and Societies Introduction The Evolving Social Role of Museums in Society The Social Role of the Museum in Society Museums in the Field of Cultural Production Building a Social Role for Museums Within the ‘Game of Culture’ The Impact of the Social Role of the Museum Community Social Inclusion Quality of Life and Wellbeing Difficulties with Social Expectations in Museums Conclusion 6 Museums and Economies Introduction Economics and Museums Economics and Museum Functions Museums as the Source of Economic Value Whose Value? The Instrumental Museum? 7 Museums and Politics Introduction Political Functions and Museums Political Functions in the Museum Political Functions of Museums Political Functions About the Museum Conclusion 8 Conclusion Introduction Functions: The Museum as a Social Construction Value: Societal, Social and Economic Legitimacy Conclusion Bibliography Index