MuseumNext has opened in New York with topics on redefining the role of museums, changing audiences and museums in schools.

The session on ‘Redefining the role of museums in a time of urgent need’ focused on how the public understands pressing issues, including the environment, human health, climate change, energy and bioterrorism.

The session covered the role of natural history museums in educating the public and helping people ‘connect the dots’ of complex natural phenomena.

Speaking at a session titled ‘Next narratives: changing audiences need new stories’, industry experts said museums have to continually develop to meet the needs of different audiences in a changing society.

Hunter O’Hanian, who is executive director, chief executive at the College Art Association in New York, told delegates at the conference that museums have had to address the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, as same-sex themes only represented 1-2% of museum portfolios.

He said: “We have to re-shift who we are as institutions to make everyone welcome. Our job is to represent the constituencies we serve.”

Also speaking at the session was Christy Coleman, American Civil War Museum chief executive, who oversaw the merger of the Museum of the Confederacy with the American Civil War Center in Richmond, Virginia in 2013.

She told in the audience: “History is not made in our institutions, it’s made on the ground in what is remembered and how. My job is difficult in changing the narrative: what happened; what we pass on; what we choose to remember and how that makes us feel. We can challenge and raise the bar to examine the narrative.

“How do we convince our communities to even take a second look? How do we challenge and change narrative? How do we begin to have these conversations?”

Also highlighted during the session was the importance of having a strategic plan.

Coleman said that merging two institutions initially caused anger. She said: “We can shoot for consensus or shoot for change. It’s problematic. We lost 40% of our membership over 18 months. Our numbers are coming back with new people who like what they are seeing. We do not need to be timid anymore.”

Also speaking during the session were Boon Hui Tan, vice president of Global Arts and cultural programmes director of the Asia Society Museum, Colin Weil, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun executive director, and Melissa Martens Yaverbaum, Council of American Jewish Museums executive director.

Hui Tan said: “We are living in times that are changing. We are a product of our times. There should be a time when the [museum] director commits hari-kari. Society is so diverse. Organisations need to last beyond us.”

Also during the first day was a session ‘Museums in schools – how one school is seeking to build a bridge for their community’. The goal is to turn a high school campus into a living museum.

The three-day event will also be covering topics that include personalising the visitor experience, working with veterans, and teens and technology.

A live stream is available at www.museumnext.com/events/north-american-museum-conference/livestream/

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