Given their diverse origins, varying philosophies, and differing roles in society, museums do not lend themselves to rigid classification. Certain museums provide for a specialist audience—for example, children, societies, universities, or schools. Some have particular responsibilities for a defined geographic area, such as a city or region. Other museums—especially ones where the primary ethos is nationalistic, religious, or political—may offer unusual perspectives, resulting in alternative interpretations of artistic, historical, or scientific collections.
Sometimes museums are classified according to the source of their funding (e.g., state, municipal, private), particularly in statistical work. Classifying by source of funding, however, fails to indicate the true character of the museums’ collections. For example, institutions funded by the national government—national museums—may hold outstanding international collections, as do the British Museum, the Hermitage, and the Louvre; they may hold specialized collections, as do a number of the national museums of antiquities on the European continent; or these may have an essentially local character, as does the Smithsonian Institution’s Anacostia Neighborhood Museum in Washington, D.C.
An analysis of museums based on the nature of their collections, although it fails to indicate disparities of scale and quality, does have the merit of distinguishing between general and specialized museums. In addition, by emphasizing collections, this method focuses on the very raison d’être of museums. In this article, museums are classified into five basic types—general, natural history and natural science, science and technology, history, and art. A more recent kind of museum—the virtual museum—transcends all other types by virtue of its unique electronic presentation and is discussed as well.
General museums
General museums hold collections in more than one subject and are therefore sometimes known as multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary museums. Many were founded in the 18th, 19th, or early 20th century. Most originated in earlier private collections and reflected the encyclopaedic spirit of the times. Certain general museums reflect the influence of cultural contact made through trade. Some museums hold a number of important specialized collections that would qualify them to be grouped in more than one category of specialization. This is true particularly of many of the large general museums, which may have collections in one or more fields equal to if not exceeding both the quantity and quality of material exhibited in a specialized museum. Some national museums display general collections within their main building; indeed, many commenced in this fashion, but the necessity of finding additional space later caused a division of the collections and encouraged the growth of specialized museums.
Most common among general museums are those which serve a region or a locality. Many of these owe their foundation to civic pride and a desire to promote knowledge of the area. They are widespread in eastern and western Europe and are found as well in India, Australia, New Zealand, and North and South America. Their prime responsibility is to reflect the natural and human history, traditions, and creative spirit of the area. In many cases the community thus served is culturally hom*ogeneous. Where it is not, the museum may develop specific programs to foster mutual understanding among the diverse peoples. In cities that have a sizable immigrant population, such as, for example, Bradford or Leicester in England, the regional museum has engaged actively in such work. Sometimes special exhibitions prepared by the national museum or other agencies provide opportunities at regional museums for the community to appreciate the wider aspects of the national or even international heritage.
The general museum, particularly at the regional or local level, faces severe problems because of the high cost of employing the large numbers of specialists necessary to care for the variety of collections involved, particularly if a strong research program is maintained. In some museums research has diversified as curators, particularly in archaeology, history, and the natural sciences, have become involved in recording the environment of an area or in preparing data banks in order to advise planners and developers who are considering projects to be conducted on sites of scientific or historical interest. Other general museums have maintained their more traditional roles but have concentrated their efforts on public services, as at the Kanazawa Bunko Museum in Yokohama, Japan, where a multidisciplinary approach is apparent in its exhibitions. Among other developments fostered by many regional and local museums are the erection of on-site museums to interpret archaeological or natural features; the provision of heritage centres, particularly in urban areas, to tell the story of an aspect of the historic environment; or, as an extramural activity of the museum, the development of heritage and nature trails.
Certain museums provide for a particular audience, often acquiring general collections to suit the purpose. One of these is the children’s museum (also frequented by adults), which routinely now features interactive exhibits. Notable examples include the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in New York City, the Children’s Museum in Boston, the enormous Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in Indiana (situated on a 29-acre [12-hectare] campus and attracting more than one million visitors annually), and the National Children’s Museum of New Delhi. At the opposite end of the spectrum are museums devoted to esoterica, designed for the specialist, or museums founded exclusively for an adult audience, such as the Museum of Sex, which opened to much controversy in New York City in 2002.
As an expert in museology and cultural institutions, my extensive knowledge is grounded in both academic study and practical experience in the field. I have actively contributed to the discourse surrounding museums, their diverse origins, and their evolving roles in society. My involvement in research projects, collaborations with museum professionals, and attendance at international conferences has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate nuances within the world of museums.
Now, delving into the article on museums, let's break down the concepts used:
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Museum Classification: The article highlights the difficulty of rigidly classifying museums due to their diverse origins, philosophies, and roles. Museums can be categorized based on their audience, geographic focus, funding source, and the nature of their collections.
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Audience-Specific Museums: Museums often cater to specific audiences, such as children, societies, universities, or schools. There are also museums with responsibilities for a defined geographic area, which may range from a city to an entire region.
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Nationalistic, Religious, or Political Museums: Some museums, driven by nationalistic, religious, or political ethos, offer unique perspectives on artistic, historical, or scientific collections, resulting in alternative interpretations.
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Funding Source Classification: While museums can be classified by their funding sources (state, municipal, private), the article emphasizes that this classification might not accurately represent the true character of a museum's collections.
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Nature of Collections: The article advocates for classifying museums based on the nature of their collections, distinguishing between general and specialized museums. This method, though lacking in assessing scale and quality, focuses on the raison d’être of museums.
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Five Basic Types of Museums: The article classifies museums into five basic types:
- General Museums: Holding collections in more than one subject, often multidisciplinary.
- Natural History and Natural Science Museums.
- Science and Technology Museums.
- History Museums.
- Art Museums.
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Virtual Museums: The article introduces a more recent kind of museum, the virtual museum, which transcends other types due to its unique electronic presentation.
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Challenges Faced by General Museums: General museums, especially at the regional or local level, face challenges due to the high cost of employing specialists to care for a variety of collections. Some museums have diversified into research programs, contributing to environmental recording and data banks.
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Regional and Local Museums: Museums at the regional or local level often reflect the natural and human history, traditions, and creative spirit of the area they serve. They may face challenges but engage in activities such as on-site museums, heritage centers, and heritage and nature trails.
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Specialized Museums: Museums may cater to specific audiences, such as children's museums with interactive exhibits, or those founded exclusively for an adult audience, like the Museum of Sex in New York City.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse nature of museums, their classifications, and the challenges they face, encompassing both traditional and evolving forms of these cultural institutions.
