ASHLEY FRENKEL

In life we never stop learning, and museums and cultural institutions provide for their communities, local and global, unparalleled resources that can augment learning, but not everyone can access these resources for a variety of systemic reasons. My first experience with the potential of museums was through a high school internship over ten years ago, and since then my knowledge of the field has increased exponentially, and so have the questions:

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Museums as Reflective Institutions

How can museums center and uplift diverse voices to become spaces that share more well-rounded narratives?

What does a responsive museum look like, and what are the benefits internally and externally?

Relationships with Audiences

How can the intersections of human experience in terms of science, art, history, science, math, and culture be used to cultivate dialogue?

How does giving other voices agency change the relationship between cultural institutions and the public?

How does a community-centered museum differ from a collections-centered museum? Can these two incarnations of the museum coexist?

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Pedagogy

How can objects and ethical museum collections be used to promote critical thinking and learning?

How can the use of inquiry provide a more open, creative, and fun experience for students of all ages?

How do systemic issues related to race, class, and gender affect learners and learning experiences?

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Through my practice I am actively working with these questions, always seeking to collaborate with other educators, artists, scientists, and leaders to promote lifelong learning and make museums welcoming community-centered spaces.

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