Museums reaching communities: A case study of the 2005 Institute of Museum and Library Services National Award recipients.

摘要

Community outreach strategies used by three nationally recognized museums are described and their application to the broader museum field is assessed. The museums described were selected for the 2005 Institute of Museum and Library Services National Award. This award is the highest honor that the nation confers on museums for their contributions to their communities. The recipients were COSI Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, the Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Pratt Museum, Homer, Alaska. Reaching out to communities fosters community collaboration, encourages museum visitation and public support, and increases museums' relevance and accessibility to diverse audiences.; The institutions are evaluated using the case study methodology. This methodology includes analysis of data gathered from documents, interviews, and direct and participant observation. The institutions are analyzed in terms of their governance, institutional priorities, management strategies, and communication style. These four areas are evaluated based on the theoretical framework of traditional versus reinvented museums proposed by museum professional and consultant Gail Anderson. The process of fostering collaborations is discussed in terms of the community building characteristics of authority, connectedness, and trust.; Patterns of practice emerge within the three institutions to facilitate community involvement and collaboration. These practices have application within the broader museum field and include: visionary leadership and shared decision making; strategic positioning within the city; presenting diverse perspectives; committing to long-term collaborations; willingness to take risks; staying in touch with the needs and interests of communities; reflecting on and addressing internal practices and public identity; and encouraging youth involvement.