Museums Are Not Neutral 

Right now, across the country, museums are expressing their solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives. Like many, we are saddened and outraged at the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, David McAtee, and Tony McDade. We must also remember the deaths of Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Rekia Boyd, and so many other Black lives killed by racist violence. Black lives matter, unequivocally. 

Still, words are not enough. Cultural institutions must consistently take concrete action to change our workplaces, our programs, and how we operate if we wish to live the values we publicly espouse. 

MICRO’s core values include systems thinking and decentralizing access to fundamental knowledge. This means recognizing that institutional and systemic racism are real and violent forces in our world. It also means challenging what is considered “fundamental knowledge,” and who gets to make that decision. In practice, this means we must be responsive to the experiences, data, and insights of communities of color. 

We appreciate the opportunities for learning museums provide, but recognize the danger in erasing the centuries of exploitation that filled our halls and displays. As a museum, we acknowledge that many of our institutions of learning are rooted in the same systemic racism that anchors police violence. 

Museums are staggeringly inaccessible, from their locations and admission fees to their content and design. Museumgoers and museum staff are overwhelmingly white, upper and middle class, and hold advanced degrees. 

MICRO remains committed to the external work of changing museums. Internally, we also have work to do. We are committed to amplifying perspectives and supporting career growth for people who too often find museums and similar institutions to be unhealthy, racist, and exclusionary places to work. We are a fast-growing organization, and will take action now and as we grow. 

Spurred by the call from Museums and Race, MICRO will work to examine and transform core institutional policies. We will review and make any necessary changes to policies and practices to ensure MICRO is a place where Black employees and all employees of color can thrive. This is especially important when hiring leadership roles, where tone, culture, and policy are set. 

This will include hiring paid advisors to help us create a 12 month action plan to recruit and center leadership staff of color, and investing additional resources into our work creating accessible, inclusive, and non-exploitative museum content. 

MICRO social media accounts this week will be centering the voices of museum educators, scientists, and activists of color who have long worked to reduce racism and exclusion in the museum industry. 

We are inspired to see a wave of public statements in solidarity with this movement. At a moment where silence is also a statement, we are adding our expression of support. But this is continuous work, for MICRO and for all of us. We invite MICRO's community and staff to hold us accountable to these commitments as long as we exist. We can and must do better. 

Thank you to La Tanya S. Autry for coining #museumsarenotneutral