PUBLICK OCCURRENCES — October 16, 2022
Neutrality and Engagement for Historical Organizations
October 21, 2022, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. *new time*
With Tom Putnam, former Executive Director of the Concord Museum and the Kennedy Library and Museum and Gloria Greis, Executive Director of the Needham History Center& Museum.
Museum people are talking a lot about whether their organizations should be politically “neutral” in their presentation and interpretation of history. But what is neutrality? Or what does it mean for museums and historical organizations to be engaged in the questions that confront us today, such as diversity, climate change, or violence? How do organizations decide on their programming? Veteran museum directors Gloria Greis and Tom Putnam join us for a conversation that tackles the question of “neutrality” from a practical or process-oriented rather than prescriptive direction. How does a museum decide what exhibits or programs to present? How do you bring a variation of viewpoints into your work? Do you consider the political import of what you are doing and how does that work? Do you get pressure and how do you deal with it? Who do you look to for examples of good work or best practices? What is your process of going from idea to reality? Join us and share your experiences!
Registration is free. REGISTER HERE.
This Conversation will be livestreamed. We will do our best to monitor your questions and comments during the livestream. A recording will be publicly available in the Conversations on the Commons Archive.