Museum Innovation Building More Equitable, Relevant and Impactful Museums

Museum Innovation encourages museums to critically reflect upon current practices and adopt new approaches to their civic responsibilities. Arguing that museums have a moral duty to perform, the book shows how social innovation can make them more equitable, relevant and impactful institutions. Including contributions from a diverse group of international scholars, practitioners and researchers, the book investigates the innovative approaches museums are taking to address contemporary social issues. The volume focuses on the concept of social innovation and individual chapters address a range of crucial issues, such as climate change; the COVID-19 pandemic; diversity and inclusion; the travel ban; and the repatriation of museum collections. Exploring the impact that organizational structures have on museums’ aspirations to act as agents for social change, the book also unpacks how museums can establish sustainable relationships with minority communities. Proposing steps that museums can take to affirm their relevance as viable community partners, the book breaks down silos and connects ideas across different areas of museum work. Museum Innovation explores the role of contemporary museums in society. It is essential reading for academics, students and practitioners working in the museum and heritage studies field. The book’s interdisciplinary nature makes it also an interesting read for those working in business studies, digital humanities, visual culture, arts administration and political science fields.

Introduction Haitham Eid and Melissa Forstrom Part I. Innovation in museum collections, narratives and exhibitions 1. Youth and community engagement at the Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales Jade Baurley and Sarah Younan 2. Reflections on public art collections in Trinidad and Tobago Daniela Fifi and Nimah Muwakil-Zakuri 3. Innovation in interpretation: Museological responses to the travel ban Melissa Forstrom 4. The development of the exhibition of African art in American art museums: Strategy for engaging the recent repatriation debate about the cultural property of Benin Ndubuisi C. Ezeluomba 5. Embodiment at the edge of the archive: Private audience and public experience Seth Ellis 6. Curating objects transculturally: An innovative exhibition trail at the Museum für Islamische Kunst Berlin Sophia Vassilopoulou Part II. Innovation in digital 7. Sustainability, resilience and growth through digital innovation Nik Honeysett 8. A multiprong approach to digital content and accessibility at the Lubbock Lake Landmark Megan Reel, Jessica Stepp and Eileen Johnson 9. Innovation, data and social responsibility Oonagh Murphy & Elena Villaespesa Part III. Innovation in diversity and inclusion practices 10. Interpreting LGBTQ histories at the British Museum Stuart Frost 11. Museums and cities as labs for collaborative action (Museum Co-Lab) Amy Landau and Harold D. Morales 12. Performances in museum spaces: Exploring the complexities of the human condition Ilyanette Bernabel Part IV. Institution-wide innovation 13. Humanizing museum repatriation Robert R. Janes 14. The ontogeny of museums: What’s your institution’s future path? Kathryn K. Matthew 15. Crafting Chinese ethnic minority heritage: Innovation in the Chinese Ethnology Museum David Francis, Lisheng Zhang and Luo Pan 16. How a pandemic upended “business as usual” for museum associations and how they are rising to the challenge Eric Longo 17. Innovative museum responses to COVID-19: Serving and strengthening communities Holly Harmon

Haitham Eid is Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Arts in Museum Studies Program, Southern University at New Orleans, USA. Melissa Forstrom is an assistant professor at Purchase College, State University of New York, where she teaches museum studies, arts management and visual culture.