Why Museums?

Breanna Suk, President 

Alberta Museums Association Board of Directors

I have been asked a lot in my life, “Why museums?” Why choose to go to school to study history with plans to work in a museum? Why decide to focus on collections and exhibits in museums as a career path? Why stay in museums given the current economy and uncertainty? The question is always, “Why museums?” But let me ask you a few questions and see if the answer becomes clearer.

Have you ever taken a small child to see the dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller? Have you watched as their eyes grow to the size of saucers as they look up at the life-sized Tyrannosaurus rex? In moments like these, children are filled with a sense of wonder and awe that fuels a lifetime of excitement for learning. Watching a child you love experience this reminds adults of their own fascination with dinosaurs in their younger years.

Innisfail Historical Village. Image courtesy of Breanna Suk.

Have you ever walked through a local pioneer museum with your grandmother? Have you seen that look in her eyes as she is transported back in time to her childhood working on the homestead? Have you listened as she explained how she learned to wash clothes on the washboard or learned to cook on that old wood stove? Sharing memories like these builds a strong connection between generations. This creates an opportunity to teach of the past and remember the good times and the bad.

Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Image courtesy of Breanna Suk.

Have you ever taken your family to your local museum on Canada Day? Have you ever stood back and watched your community come together in celebration? When the community needs a safe place to gather to celebrate their shared history, museums are often the chosen place for these events, as they are the trusted keepers of that history.

Have you ever taken your teenage athlete to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and introduced them to the amazing Honoured Members and what they have accomplished? Have you ever seen them leave a place feeling so inspired that they too could be an Olympian or professional athlete? Celebrating the successes of others, especially those from similar situations and backgrounds, creates a sense of opportunity and optimism that is often hard to find.

        Gates to Auschwitz. Image courtesy of Breanna Suk. 

Have you personally ever been to a museum, like Auschwitz, that leaves you without words? Have you ever read an exhibit text panel that brings you to tears? Have you ever stood in a gas chamber and seen the fingernail scratches indented into the concrete walls? Places like this leave a lasting impression on you. These places are so powerful that those who experience them will do whatever they can to ensure it never happens again.

When you consider the answers to these questions, it is easy to see “Why museums?” Museums play a powerful role in our lives and in our communities. Museums are a safe place for visitors to explore interests, relive the past, celebrate accomplishments and shared histories, and remind us where we came from. Museums are changing and adapting to the current issues in society. Museums have always been, and always will be, a cornerstone in our communities and the keeper of our histories. Dedicating my life to the preservation and sharing of those histories is something to be proud of. So when people ask “Why museums?” my real answer is, “What else is there?”