The Museum

A Short History of Crisis and Resilience

De: Samuel J. Redman

Narrado por: Andrew Joseph Perez

On an afternoon in January 1865, a roaring fire swept through the Smithsonian Institution. Dazed soldiers and worried citizens could only watch as the flames engulfed the museum's castle. Rare objects and valuable paintings were destroyed. The flames at the Smithsonian were not the first—and certainly would not be the last—disaster to upend a museum in the United States.

The Museum explores the concepts of "crisis" as it relates to museums, and how these historic institutions have dealt with challenges ranging from depression and war to pandemic and philosophical uncertainty. With chapters exploring World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic, the Great Depression, World War II, the 1970 Art Strike in New York City, and recent controversies in American museums, this book takes a new approach to understanding museum history. By diving deeper into the changes that emerged from these key challenges, Samuel J. Redman argues that cultural institutions can—and should—use their history to prepare for challenges and solidify their identity going forward. A captivating examination of crisis moments in US museum history from the early years of the twentieth century to the present day, The Museum offers inspiration in the resilience and longevity of America's most prized cultural institutions.

©2022 New York University (P)2022 Tantor

FASCINATING STUFF!!!!

Okay, so this is a very, VERY cool book. You think you know museums? Wait until you hear some of this; this book is a deep dive into the intersection between museums and politics, museums and crisis control...seriously, if you are a mseum-studies enthusiast, or a poli-sci enthusiast, or you just want to learn something totally new, check out this book. I kinda want to write a short story about some of the stuff in this book...

As always, Andrew Joseph Perez does a brilliant job narrating. You can tell just by listening - he's as fascinated by the content in this book as you will be. His narration always adds so much.