What is the Societal Value Found in a Museum?

In today’s economic climate, museums are looking at ideas on how to weather the potential fiscal storm. One critical idea, that seems prevalent in some museums, is the sales of certain museum valuables.

The first argument is that this is necessary for the over-all good of the museum, as it will help sustain the venue and other valuable artifacts in troubled financial times. The second argument is that this kind of action can destroy the only real purpose and justification for the museum’s existence.

In this kind of situation, a museum board must go back to basics and ask themselves: what is the purpose for the museum in the first place? What is the purpose of exhibiting art? Or is there even a purpose and justification, at all?

In museum language, this is questioning the social value of the museum and its mere existence.  If a museum is going to sell off its assets then is it undermining the very reasons for its existence? Is it endangering the entity and art museums in general? Is the museum board betraying the community it serves?

The very reason for a museum to come into being is to collect, display, and preserve great art, history and scientific advancement. In the modern world, museums have a responsibility to the public and to their community. Art has been collected, bought and paid for, primarily by the public through taxes and donations.

When there is a decision to sell an art piece, what is the criteria that is used to make such a decision?  Is it number of shows? Foot traffic? What justifies the selling of art for an entity whose only reason for existence is to display that art?

An art museum’s collections are on display to inspire, to teach, to create a higher standard and to uplift and ennoble one’s life. When decisions are made to sell valuable art, this questions the very fiber that makes a museum worthwhile.