Can we take politics out of museums?

Information

In partnership with the University of Aberdeen

Museums have often been viewed as the trusted custodians of collective memories and shared heritage. However, as they choose the stories they tell, the items they collect, the sponsorship they accept, and whether they should repatriate from collections, museums are making political decisions. Should they try to be impartial, or should they become places of activism? What are their ethical responsibilities to the people they claim to represent? How can museums build trust with diverse communities? If museums want to be places for open debate, are there limits on what can be discussed?

Panellists:

Neil Curtis is Head of University Collections at the University of Aberdeen. He also chairs the Museums Galleries Scotland Repatriation Working Group.

Salma Ali is a Global Historian and the Co-Lead Coordinator for the Scottish Museum of Empire, Slavery, Colonialism and Migration. Salma works to bring forward histories of PoC communities within colonial networks and in colonial histories, focusing on narratives of exchange, participation, and agency in cross-cultural exchanges and identity-making.

Zandra Yeaman is an award-winning Curator of Discomfort and Head of Strategy Development and Implementation at The Hunterian, University of Glasgow. They lead bold, anti-oppressive work that confronts colonial legacies and systemic injustice within museums and cultural institutions. Zandra’s work actively challenges oppressive systems – reshaping museum practice to ensure spaces are genuinely for everyone. Zandra is a European Museum of the Year Award Judge, a board member of V&A Dundee, and Chair of the Board of Directors at Street Level Photoworks.