Museums as Anchors: Five Reasons for Their Enduring Relevance

Museums remain vital in uncertain times, serving as anchors for society. They provide lessons from the past, especially amid rising tensions over class, race, gender, and environmentalism. The Museum of Oxford's Queering Spires exhibition highlighted hidden LGBTQIA+ history, coinciding with a doubling of hate crimes in England and Wales. Local museums like Hove Museum and Art Gallery and Newcastle's Discovery Museum celebrate regional heritage and community. The British Museum collaborates with community groups, while Dallas's Museum of Street Culture engages the public on homelessness. The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture faced a noose incident in 2017, underscoring the need for such institutions. Technology transforms museums into interactive spaces: the Detroit Institute of Arts' Lumin AR Tour uses augmented reality, and the Cleveland Museum of Art's ArtLens Studio offers screen-based activities. Museums also educate future generations; the American Alliance of Museums reports 80% of U.S. museums provide educational programs, spending over $2 billion annually. Examples include Eureka in Halifax, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and Tate Kids online.