Lecture held at training Museum Interpretation And Audience Experience Managementt of Cultural Heritage

1. Why museums do what
they do?
Max Meijer

2. A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution
in the service of society and its development,
open to the public, which acquires, conserves,
researches, communicates and exhibits the
tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and
its environment for the purposes of education,
study and enjoyment.
This definition is a reference in the international
community.
International Council Of Museums, ICOM
For all professional museums world wide there is a
general accepted museum definition:

3. In theory this applies to all museums…
Well…that is to say…
Professional museums!

4. And professional museums are staffed by
professionals, but may be very different
types of museums...
For example...

5. National Museums

6. National Museums

7. National Museums

8. Provincial/regional museums

9. Provincial/regional museums
Provincial/regional museums

10. Provincial/regional Museums

11. Thematic Museums

12. Thematic Museums

13. Thematic Museums

14. Thematic Museums

15. Thematic Museums

16. Thematic Museums

17. Private Museums

18. Private Museums

19. Private Museums

20. Element 1:
WHAT MUSEUMS DO (FUNCTIONS):
A museum…
…acquires, conserves, researches,
communicates and exhibits the tangible
and intangible heritage of humanity and its
environment…
This general ICOMdefiniton
consistes of 3 main elements:

21. Element 2:
HOW MUSEUMS DO WHAT THEY DO (FORM):
A museum…
is a non-profit, permanent institution open
to the public

22. Element 3:
WHY MUSEUMS DO WHAT THEY DO
(VALUES TO SOCIETY, TO PEOPLE)
in the service of society and its development…
:
for the purposes of education, study and
enjoyment …

23. So:
Why?
How?
What?

24. Why, How, What, of museums
in a simple effective model:
By Simon Sinek in 2009

26. Few Museums
articulate WHY they do
WHAT they do
Some Museums know
exactly HOW they do
WHAT they do
All Museums know
WHAT they do

27. W H Y
Start all actions with this question...
Why?

28. Actions like:
Start of a new museum...
Development of a museum...
Revitalization of a museum...
Building projects...
Renovantion projects...
But also, smaller projects:
Writing labels, captions, texts in museums
Making an exhibition
Collecting
Restauration-project
Making a catalogue

29. Why = motivation,
Based on shared values as start for action

31. But, values like…
Presentation value
Political value
Reference value
Indirect Economical (spin off) value…
Universal value

32. For each individual museum the
answers to the
Why?
How?
What?
Questions are the basis elements of the
museums mission and vision statement

34. Mission:
→ Theme/content (subject, time, place)
of the museum?
→ Role of collections or sites in fulfilling
the mission?
→ Benefits for society (the public +
stakeholders?)
Individialmuseums
(museum specific)

35. → State the museum’s
purpose & overall goal
→ Used to guide the
museum’s actions & decision
making
Mission (and vision)Statement

36. Provides guidance and inspiration to an
organization
Is a focus for all employees in their work
every day.
Is written clearly in an inspirational
Manner (that makes it easy for all
employees to repeat it at any given
time).

37. Will build concensus among
Stakeholders of the museum.
They understand and agree why
museum do what they do
(and… why the museum needs support
or money or other resources…)

38. Who are the stakeholders of a museum?
A person, group or organization that has interest or
concern in a museum
Stakeholders can affect or be affected by the museum’s
actions, objectives and policies.
Some examples of key stakeholders are funders,
governments, government agencies, NGO’s, owners
(private museums), Local or regional communities,
massmedia (press, tv) etc.

39. Mission statement
• a declaration of an museum’s “reason for
being.”
• answers the basic
“why do we do what we do”
essential for effectively stablishing objectives
and formulating strategies
• reveals what a museum wants to be and
whom it wants to serve
should answer the basic question, “What we are”

40. should answer the basic question, “What do we
want to become?” (our dream)
Vision statement…

41. Some examples of
Museums Mission
Statements…

42. Museum Kain identifies the uniqueness of Indonesian cloth tradition,
which mirrors the cultural diversity, as well as a large part of the
cultural heritage of its people.
The Mission of Museum Kain is to inspire passion and love for
Indonesian cloth. Using latest available technological system in
retelling the stories and understanding of the tradition, Museum Kain
intends to offer knowledge-based and information-based services,
sharing on how to preserve, present, communicate, develop and
maintain a successful modern museum concept.
Museum Kain, Bali

43. The existence of the National Museum is anchored on the basic
philosophy that the Filipino nation is kept unified by a deep sense of
pride in its own identity, cultural heritage and nature patrimony. The
national identity of the Filipino must be developed and enhanced,
while including the spirit of nationalism and strong commitment in the
protection and dissemination of its legacy.
National Museum of the Phillipines

44. -Storing and displaying a collection of history, culture, and a series of
goods that can be detected with basic human senses, relating to the
stages of cancer prevention: promotion, prevention, early detection,
diagnostic, curative, rehabilitative and palliative.
-Making education museum that can also be utilized for community
service, research and entertainment.
-Work together with various parties to promote cancer prevention
efforts
Museum Kanker Indonesia, Surabaya

45. “Our mission is to enable people to explore the story of railways and
how they fit into that story.
Through life-enhancing experiences, visitors will gain greater
appreciation of railways as a form of transport through an exciting,
educational and memorable series of complementary galleries,
interactive, web and learning experiences, telling the story of railways
past, present and future.”
National Railway Museum York, U.K.

46. -To preserve, study, present and interpret Hong Kong's diverse
cultures, with special emphasis on living heritage and creative
culture.
-To connect Hong Kong people with world cultures.
-To engage and stimulate audiences with innovative, inspiring,
educational and enjoyable museum experiences.
-To support and encourage intellectual, artistic and creative pursuits.
Hong Kong Maritime Museum

47. What do these mission statements have in
common?
→Content
→Use of content
→Impact of content + use of content

48. Content

49. Use

50. Impact

51. 3 museum basics:
→Content (objects or site)
values + data/information
↓↑
→Use (presentations)
‘use’ in storyline, exhibitions, experience, events
↓↑
→Impact (public)
added value for visitors and other stakeholders