Defining the museum: challenges and compromises of the 21st century

Abstract

What is a museum? A permanent institution or a polyphonic space? For profit or not? Open to the public or devoted to serving the interests of a cultural elite? Are museums in the service of societies or committed to social justice? Do they educate their audiences, or do they enhance understandings of the world? Do museums safeguard memories or preserve humanity’s tangible and intangible heritage? What are their main functions and characteristics in the 21st century? All these questions – and ...