It was 1989 when I first entered The Heard Museum as a museum professional in training, idealistic to the hilt and ready to save the world in the environment I believed combined all of my passions perfectly. Since then I have held positions from docent to director in institutions as varied as you can imagine in size, focus and degree of adherence to defined museum standards. It has been a hugely fulfilling albeit challenging career.
Now, in 2011, I am unsure. Unsure about the ideals that first pushed me to the work and how they fit into the realities of museums as the political and personal entities that they are. Unclear whether my efforts, often not measurable or quantifiable, have made a difference in the grand scheme of things. Unable to express my true opinions about many museum topics because I have spent decades being neutral for the sake of balanced presentation. And uncertain how or even if the second half of my life can be used for the good of the field.
So I’m designing my version of a Walkabout, or even a Vision Quest if you will, to look around and redefine my Museum Life. Since I’ve spent more time working than anything else, the museum world is the lens that’s most useful to peer into an overall midlife evaluation on all levels physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and financial. My hope is that the process will bring some clarity of opinion and goals and direct my passion for the next chapter.
For the next 365 days I will spend one hour a day exploring what museums do through memories, random or directed research, suggestions from others, references I pick up from any source, or as a visitor. I won’t structure or design the topics except to follow whatever lead I have that day. Each day will be documented here.
For today I just Googled “Walkabout” and was led to the 1971 movie and found this clip and a good theme song!
I then tried “museum” and “Vision Quest” and found this Lakota Museum which is part of a school in South Dakota.
These searches both bring me back to my Anthropology studies and first assigned work at The Heard which was teaching kids about Native American culture in order to show how all human beings have families of some kind, use storytelling, music, dance and design to express ourselves. For me that meant we are more alike than different, and in my mind museums were meant to bring people together to discover new things about the world and themselves and to learn to live and work together with respect. It really was that simple to me then, and the core of my intention.
What are you exploring in your own life? Do museums provide any assistance for you as you wrestle with questions? I ask you to join me on this journey and give any feedback or suggestions you might have!
Museum Life 