The iconic dinosaur statues at The Children’s Museum look out towards approaching visitors. Photo by Elizabeth Stevenson.

JACK WILLIAMS | CULTURE CO-EDITOR | jrwilliams@butler.edu

Museums are powerful spaces. Some institutions’ classical architecture is designed to evoke the imposing facades of Greek and Roman edifices, while the artifacts within create an atmosphere rich with history. Other spaces are designed to be light and airy, filled with creativity and delighted laughter.

Indianapolis contains a wide variety of museums ranging from the modern art of Newfields to the pop culture displays at The Children’s Museum. When one includes sites such as Monument Circle or the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, art and history seem to lie around every corner.

Senior history-anthropology major Abby Retz is an avid museum-goer who enjoys sharing her favorite childhood museums with new people.

“When I was a child, I wanted to be a paleontologist so bad,” Retz said. “At The Children’s Museum, I would park myself in the dino [exhibit] and stare at the paleontologists through the glass. Honestly, those [memories] have influenced what I’ve studied in college and who I am as a person.”

Students who pursue museum studies academically may find themselves diving deeper into the world of collections and archives, or analyzing why one exhibit works and another fails. 

However, decreased attendance rates and major critiques of how institutions have historically exploited marginalized communities’ possessions and cultures have raised questions about the purpose of the modern museum.

Butler professor Elise Edwards co-manages the museum studies minor with professor Brenda Johnston, chair of the arts administration department of Jordan College of the Arts.

“In the same way that humanities are struggling in this contemporary moment, museums also find themselves struggling to maintain funding and their relevance,” Edwards said. “Students are interested in the kinds of things that they’re doing to increase viewership and engagement. It makes you think about who museums have been for, who feels comfortable in those spaces.”

The prestigious status which gives museums the ability to attract skilled scholars and long-term investments can also be seen as alienating. 

As a child, Retz loved the interactive exhibits in The Children’s Museum. However, when she aged out of its target audience, that experience was lost. Museums became places where one kept their arms down and only looked. 

In the past several years, though, Retz has noticed that museums are evolving.

“When I was younger, [the Eiteljorg] was completely different than it is now,” Retz said. “Artifacts [were] strewn about with no real intention and it painted a picture of Native Americans that wasn’t necessarily accurate. Going back [to visit now], they have implemented modern learning styles. For example, a canoe exhibit [has] a block of whatever material the canoe is made of right in front of it, [with] an electronic panel that goes into more history. It’s every style of learning in one exhibit.”

The adjustments Retz noticed not only make for a more accurate history but a more accessible museum as well. Visitors can take in information through text, sight and touch. This benefits visitors who might have trouble focusing on text alone while also creating a more engaging experience for everyone.

This care and attention to detail shows how museums have grown beyond their roots as cabinets of curiosities, which were assemblages of interesting objects created by elite classes for their peers. Over time, museums have pivoted to focus more on a public audience, and are now invested in grassroots efforts to connect with the communities they serve.

Brooke Sullivan, the digital marketing manager at the Eiteljorg Museum, manages social media communication channels, the Eiteljorg website and email communications. She focuses on how to reach out to the Indianapolis community.

“The million dollar question is, ‘How should we engage these younger audiences?’” Sullivan said. “[In the past] it was a non-starter. People thought they weren’t interested, but something that Gen Z is looking for in cities is culture. Younger audiences want to come out; you just have to start catering to them.”

The most prominent obstacle students face when looking to visit a museum is cost. Students operating on a tight budget may not have the ability to spend upwards of $20 on a single ticket. 

Indianapolis museums have recognized these limitations and adjusted accordingly. The Children’s Museum offers $6 tickets for all visitors on the first Thursday of each month from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., as well as several free admission days throughout the year. Student discount tickets for the Indiana State Museum are $5. Both the Eiteljorg and Newfields offer free admission to all Indiana college students with a valid school I.D.

Another potential obstacle is difficulty in ensuring museum displays are both engaging and reach their target audiences.

Sullivan has found that first-time or occasional visitors tend to be interested in the overall experience, whereas repeat visitors and members are looking to make deeper connections with specific content. 

“A big part of museums is public programming that caters to audiences we’re trying to reach,” Sullivan said. “In November, we’re doing a mini fashion show [that is] creating reasons beyond the museum for people to come in … For people who are really invested, it’s more content-based. It’s changing [exhibits] up and offering member-only opportunities such as conversations and coffee with the artist.”

Students who enjoy museums once in a while need a compelling reason to devote their free time to a visit. Displays such as THE LUME at Newfields provide unique experiences and create lasting memories. Avid museum-goers may leap at the chance to get a behind-the-scenes tour or meet the curators behind exhibits.

Regardless of the audience a museum is trying to attract, building connections with universities is crucial. Students can learn a professor’s lesson using real, tangible examples, while museums gain a passionate visitor base.

The relationship between students and museums is a two-way street that goes beyond the revenue from ticket sales. Many museums rely on the commitment of volunteer docents and event staff.

Edwards believes museums can have a powerful impact when they treat the communities they serve with respect.

“I appreciate [when] museums show that your community is important,” Edwards said. “For instance, GANGGANG’s ‘We The People’ exhibit with Newfields featured local artists who had been involved in Black Lives Matter street art … [Members of] this community could go in and see people who they knew personally. Similarly, at the Eiteljorg, they do the Indian Market [and Festival] and try to reach out to local Native communities. Those are the kind of things that can have lasting [positive] effects.”

The struggle of museums to attract new audiences poses a challenge, but it also provides an opportunity to reflect on what kind of institution they want to be in today’s world. Students have the power to help shape museums into places that tell history from multiple angles, partner with marginalized communities rather than exploit them and share their knowledge for the benefit of all.